Wishes
by Milaya Milen Zeal
Summary: Joshua knew he would regret making that promise with the almighty daiyoukai, but he wasn't counting on the complications that followed it. NeJo, slightly dark, sequel to Purification. M for a reason Complete with sequel "Inevitability".
1. Stage 1 The Memory

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><strong>Fandom: <strong>The World Ends With You (TWEWY)

**Pairing: **Neku/Joshua

**Setting: **Post-game, takes place after "Purification"

**Summary: **Joshua knew he would regret making that promise with the almighty daiyoukai, but he wasn't counting on the complications that followed it.

* * *

><p><strong>Stage 1 - The Memory<strong>

As the sun rose slowly, Joshua slowly woke up, pushing himself up from the bed he was in to stretch out his sore muscles. He resisted the urge to whine, slowly getting out from under the blankets, not caring if anyone could see him walking around butt naked, and staggering his way to the bathroom. He stopped, however, when he heard that the shower was already on. Which could only mean…

"I don't bite, Joshua," came a calm voice from inside, making the youth in question tense. "It's not locked. Come in."

Joshua considered it for a moment, intending to decline and go back to the bed, but his sore muscles stubbornly refused, saying they wanted that shower yesterday. And so he reached out for the doorknob, and twisted it before lightly pushing the door open and stepping into the room, shutting it behind him to keep the heat in.

When he refused to budge after that, the same voice called out, almost gently: "Josh… come here."

The silverette couldn't refuse; he knew what would happen if he did. So he stepped forward, reaching out with one hand and accepting the one held out to him, allowing himself to be pulled into the shower stall. The warm water soaked him in only seconds, and he hissed lightly as the droplets hit his skin.

A soft touch to his shoulder made him jump in alarm, but the touch also prevented him from turning around.

"Does it hurt?"

Joshua bit his lip, not trusting his voice immediately as he just stood there, refusing to look up. The water seeping down the drain was far more interesting.

"…Joshua," came the soft call as a second touch came down on the opposite shoulder. "Does it hurt?

"…no… no, it doesn't hurt…" he murmured finally. "I'm just… sore. That's all."

There was silence for a moment, and then his bangs were moved aside, a gentle touch, even more gentle than the one on his shoulders, placed upon his temple; a kiss.

No words were spoken; it wasn't needed. Joshua just stood there with his back to the other man, allowing him to start massaging his sore muscles, resisting the urge to moan at his expert touch. Once all the kinks were out of his body, he shut his eyes and tilted his head back as he heard the familiar click of a bottle being flipped open. And then strong, deft fingers ran through his hair, covering the silvery strands in the sweet smelling shampoo that he used, working up a good lather.

"…how much longer?" Joshua asked, unable to keep the thought trapped in his head.

"…Hm?"

"…how much longer before you can forgive me, Neku?" Joshua clarified, not daring to look back.

Neku didn't respond immediately, focusing instead on washing the Composer's hair. "…Saa…" he murmured finally in answer, absently shrugging his shoulders.

Joshua wasn't surprised at the (lack of) answer; Neku rarely ever did answer him when he asked that question.

A little over 25 years ago, Joshua had run into a daiyoukai that had been hell-bent on destroying Shibuya, claiming that the city was corrupt. Of course, Joshua–being the Composer–had immediately attempted to stop the beast from destroying his city. With a little help from Hanekoma, they had actually defeated the powerful creature and sent it packing.

Or so they thought…

As it turned out, the daiyoukai had, in a sense, reincarnated itself as a human, so as to remain hidden and to see if Joshua could fix his corrupted city, and also to keep an eye on if its prediction to the silver-haired Composer would come true. It had predicted Joshua would find that his city was as corrupt as it had claimed and that he would wish to destroy it. It also predicted that, when he would realize this, he would seek out the daiyoukai's help in destroying it.

And that human's name had been Sakuraba Neku.

Five years after the game, precisely–which was two months ago now–the daiyoukai had returned for a promise that Joshua had always believed to be an empty threat;

__Remember this, Composer! Five years after you realize your city is corrupt, I'll come for you and I swear I'll **devour** you!_  
><em>

"Hey, step back a little," Neku said suddenly, pulling Joshua from his thoughts. Once he had done as Neku asked, stepping out of the spray of water, the redhead began to wash the rest of Joshua's body, steadily working his way down.

Joshua bit his lip, and dared to look back when Neku crouched down to wash his legs. He still looked like the boy that Joshua had seen long ago, staring up at CAT's mural with such adoration, that there were times when Joshua wondered if he hadn't just imagined it all. Orange-red hair, slightly darker and longer now that he had aged five years, still spiked back along his head, and Joshua wondered if his hair really did grow like that, though right now, the water had pushed it down to rest on his shoulders. His eyes were still a deep blue, slightly darker and tinted with wisdom and experience. He had also filled out a little over the years, not overly much; just enough to be noticed. He used to be considered skinny, now he was average.

When he was in human form, at least…

Joshua knew what power each of Neku's limbs possessed, he knew all too well what power lay hidden in the arms, legs and tails of this powerful daiyoukai–this Ninetailed Fox.

"Right. Done," Neku said simply as he rose back to his feet, making Joshua whip around immediately so he wouldn't see something he knew he'd regret looking at.

Quickly banishing those thoughts from his head, he shut his eyes and brought up his hands as he stepped back under the shower, working to get all the suds out from his hair. It was like this every time in the morning if he stayed over at Neku's apartment. He would wake up, go to the bathroom, find Neku already there, and the Kitsune would silently help him wash up and to relax from the prior night, though the first few times, Joshua had vehemently refused.

After the first time he actually did his shoulders, though, Joshua had found himself being a lot more compliant.

There was a gentle pressure on his back, between the shoulder blades, and then Neku's presence was right by his ear as he murmured: "Don't use up all the hot water," before he stepped away and out of the shower.

The Composer remained silent until he was sure that Neku had completely vacated the bathroom, after which he glanced over to the door to ensure he was really gone… before he abruptly dropped down to his knees, biting his lip and catching his fall with his fists. His entire body was shaking, and he felt the beginning of tears stinging in his eyes, but he'd never admit to that, of course. He panted softly as he reached a hand to his face, covering his eyes while fighting against the urge to cry.

"Damn you… _damn you_…" he hissed softly, his mind unwillingly rewinding to when Neku had called him to the apartment for the first time.

* * *

><p><em>"Hey Boss, just out of curiosity, did something happen this week?"<em>

_Hanekoma's question completely caught Joshua off guard. The Game had just ended and he had just finished judging the remaining Players and sending those who had earned enough points back to the RG, so now he had some time to actually talk to his Producer. "Hm? No, not that I recall, Sanae. Why do you ask?"_

_The barista merely chuckled. "Ah, no real reason. You just seem a lot calmer than normal. That's all."_

_Joshua felt his finger twitch in his pocket, and was glad it didn't show on his face. "Oh? Well, I don't feel any different than usual," he said with a smile._

_If Hanekoma learned of what had happened the night before the Game… while the Angel could probably help him when it came to Neku's strength, there was NO way he was going to tell the shop owner what had actually happened. Hell, if he could help it, **no one** was going to know at all!_

_Now, while the Composer was not someone who got startled easily, after everything that had happened just before the Game began, it was really no surprise that he almost jumped right out of his skin when his phone started buzzing against his fingers (he'd set it to silent a while ago). Thankfully, it didn't show on his face, so Hanekoma had no real way of finding out._

_"Hey, Sanae. I'm going to take a walk for a while, so I'll probably be back later tonight, alright?"_

_"A'ight, Boss," Hanekoma said with a chuckle and they soon parted ways._

_Once Joshua was sure he was out of range from the barista, he pulled out his phone and brought the object to his ear. "Hello?"_

_"**Done talking to Mr. H, now?**"_

_He'd expected to hear that voice, but it still made him freeze up momentarily. "…Neku. How did you know…?"_

_"**Heh. Can't tell you that, I'm afraid,**" Neku said, almost casually. "**Say, the Game's done with now, right?**"_

_"…Yes… it is…" Joshua had a bad feeling about this. A **really** bad feeling._

_"**Great. Do you think you could stop by my apartment today?**"_

_"…wait… your… apartment?"_

* * *

><p><em>Of course he'd had an apartment. Why Joshua hadn't thought of that before, he wasn't sure, but he had somehow had the idea in his head that Neku would at least live with his parents for a while longer. Or did the daiyoukai not consider the people who gave him the body he had now his parents? Joshua really didn't know, and he'd been sure he'd known how Neku's mind worked… but that was before he learned of the fact that he was actually an all powerful daiyoukai who had almost made him destroy his own city.<em>

_The building wasn't much to look at from the outside, but it was a good neighborhood and the people were very kind. If he'd gone through with destroying Shibuya, this area would be one he'd have dearly missed._

_'…why am I even here?' he wondered as he stopped in front of the apartment door that Neku had asked him to come to. 'I should've ignored him… I shouldn't have even picked up the phone. I **knew** it'd be him… why did I answer and **why** did I come here?' His thoughts continued on like that for a long time, unable to find an answer, and his mind was now beginning to scream that he had to run away and never come back again._

_And yet, he reached out and pressed the bell._

_It took a little while for Neku to open the door. He was dressed in some loose JotM clothes, which wasn't surprising, and—_

_'Is he… when did he… why is he taller than I am?' Joshua wondered briefly to himself, realizing that he was at least four inches shorter than Neku, even after he had shifted into the body of a young adult (or at least what he'd look like as one)._

_"Oh, hey, wasn't expecting you this early," Neku said, almost absently as he stood aside to let Joshua inside. "Were you able to find it easily?"_

_"I know Shibuya's map like the back of my hand, Neku," Joshua pointed out, taking off his shoes and walking further inside as Neku shut the door behind him._

_He'd never been inside any of the apartments of the building, but Joshua had to admit that they were cozy enough. The living room, kitchenette and dining room were a singular room, though there was an extra counter placed between the living room and kitchen. A simple leather couch sat in the center of the room, in front of a coffee table and facing a TV set that had seen better days, being an older, more clunky model, unlike the plasma HD TV's circulating the market nowadays. There were some books scattered across the coffee table, mathematics by the looks of it, as well as some English textbooks and a number of notebooks with various notes in it. The majority of the pages were also full of doodles from what Joshua could see. The kitchen appeared to have been cleaned recently, and while it didn't have a dishwasher, Joshua could see a bottle of soap set against the wall by the sink. There was one door on the opposite wall of the living room, which probably led to the bedroom, and if Joshua had to guess, the other door opposite the kitchen was probably just a toilet. The actual bathroom was probably only accessible from the bedroom._

_"Working on homework, I see?" Joshua murmured as he leafed through some of Neku's textbooks._

_"Yeah… Was hoping to finish before you got here though… Hey, you want some coffee or something?" Neku called out as he took a detour into the kitchen._

_"Hmm… you wouldn't happen to have green tea around here, would you?" Joshua quipped with a chuckle as he sat down on the couch._

_"Um, actually… I think…" Neku frowned in thought and opened one of the cupboard. "Oh! Here we go!" he called out in victory, reaching inside and pulling out a box of tea packets. "Thought so. Shiki brought some over when she was here last week and forgot to take it with her."_

_"…Shiki, you say?" Joshua said curiously, feeling a vein twitch on his forehead for some odd reason, watching Neku as he picked up the water heater (looks like he had some heated in advance) and poured hot water into a cup._

_"Yeah. Her and Eri stopped by a few times," Neku said calmly, setting the small box away again before he set a cup under his coffeemaker and pressed a button. While the machine whirred, he picked up Joshua's teacup and walked over to the living room. "Here."_

_"Thank you, dear," Joshua chuckled out, pleased when Neku growled out a "Don't call me that!" before walking back to the kitchen to pick up his own beverage. "So… why would they come here?"_

_"Nothing serious," said the redhead with a shrug, adding sugar and milk to his drink and starting to look for a spoon. "They just said they're saving up money to go on a holiday to the Netherlands and asked me to model a few times."_

_"Ooh? And you agreed to that?" Joshua asked, trying very hard (and almost failing) at keeping a straight face at the thought of Neku being used by the two girls as a fashion model. He also had to repress a deep frown that wanted to come on his face as a completely different thought of a different nature dawned on him._

_"Well, I gotta. Those two said they'd make some custom clothes for me if I did, so… yeah," Neku said, finally finding a spoon, which, strangely enough, had a small strawberry on the end, before he walked back and sat down on the couch. "Besides, every little bit of money helps in the end, I suppose."_

_"Hmm? Saving up, are we?"_

_"No, the girls are. I already said that."_

_"…They actually have you pay for it?"_

_"I offered, alright?"_

_"Oh? And why's that?"_

_Neku snorted and scooted forward a bit on the couch to get back to his homework. "Isn't it obvious? If there's something I can do to get those two together, then fine."_

_"Together?" Joshua had a small, thoughtful frown on his face as he brought up his tea. "How do you mean?"_

_"They intend to get married."_

_Joshua very nearly choked on his tea just then. "Ex-excuse me?" he coughed out, trying to cover up for the fact that he almost did a spit-take._

_"The Netherlands legalized homosexual marriages, so they're planning to go over, have a good time, and then get hitched before coming back home." Neku explained the entire situation as though it was nothing new, not even looking up from his homework._

_"Aren't they… a little young to be considering marriage?"_

_"They're over 18, so legally, they're old enough to decide on their own."_

_"I… see."_

_They fell into silence, with Neku working on his homework and Joshua sipping his tea on occasion. And just then, it occurred to the Composer that neither of them had mentioned the actual reason why Joshua was called there. He tried to ignore it, but the more he tried, the more he actually thought about it, to the point where his hands had begun to shake, almost spilling tea over them. He had to grip his cup tightly in both hands to prevent it from shaking as well._

_Neku, however, seemed content to just ignore the youth sitting right next to him in favor of finishing his homework._

_'…why did I even come here?' Joshua bit his lip as he struggled against the urge to slam his cup down on the table. 'I didn't want to come here… so… why did I…?'_

_"…Why are you so stressed out?"_

_Joshua jumped in surprise when the voice was suddenly right in his ear, a soft touch placed on the opposite shoulder. He almost dropped his cup because of it, but Neku managed to save it from meeting its unfortunate demise against the floor_

_"I'm… I'm not… stressed…" he murmured, but his voice was already beginning to shake as much as his hands were. In fact, his hands were shaking so badly now, that Neku pulled loose his cup lightly and set it down on the coffee table._

_"You're shaking…"_

_"I… I am not!"_

_Why was he so… close?_

_Joshua tensed when the touch on his shoulder shifted to his head, forcing him to turn his head. Neku's eyes had darkened considerably, and the pupils had shifted from circular to vertical, indicating that the redhead had begun using his skills as a Kyuubi. And the itch on his left wrist—and the rapid diminishing of his powers—could only mean that he had also activated the seal that would block all his powers as Shibuya's Composer._

_"You are…"_

_"N-no… no, I'm not…!"_

_But before he could say anything else on the matter, Neku's fingers curled into his hair and pulled sharply, mashing their mouths together in a bruising kiss. The silverette tried to get out a protest of some kind, placing his hands against Neku's chest to push him off, but he forgot that Neku's mouth was over his own, not only silencing his protest, but also giving Neku the opening he wanted. Joshua whined and tried to get loose as Neku's (impossibly) long tongue swirled around his mouth._

_Just as he managed to push off against the Kitsune's chest, though, Neku snagged his wrists in one hand and forced him backwards until he lay sprawled out on the couch, hands kept in place above his head._

_"N-Neku… st-stop…!"_

_"Stop?" Neku repeated softly, his eyes half shut and making them seem even darker, as the pupils dilated. "Why would I stop?"_

_"Be-because… I-I d-don't want this!" Joshua choked out trying to rip his hands loose. "Thi-this is no better than r-rape!"_

_"…then why did you come here?" Neku asked calmly, making Joshua still in the redhead's grip. Neku had just asked him the exact same question he had been pondering about almost the entire time he was there. "Alright, I asked you to come, but you had the choice whether to come here or not. You knew what was coming when I called you, yet you still chose to come here. Let alone, I let you keep your powers until a few moments ago. If you really didn't want it, then you could have attempted to stop me. So… why didn't you?"_

_"Uh um… be… because…!"_

_Joshua tried to speak, but he had no clue what he wanted to say. The Kyuubi was right, after all; he could've not come, he could've attacked and made it clear that he didn't want this… and yet he came without a word of complaint and he had stepped into the daiyoukai's lair on his own accord. Why hadn't he **done** anything?_

_"Nothing, huh?" Neku murmured, his mouth curling up into a small, amused smirk. "In that case, you should just lay back and enjoy yourself…"_

_"N-n-no!" Joshua wailed, resuming his struggles when Neku reached for the buttons of his shirt. "N-Ne-Neku…! S-stop! I-I don't…! **Ahhhh…!** I… I don't… want… th-this…!"_

_Neku didn't respond right away, undoing the last button and moving the material aside, letting his fingers roam over the exposed skin as Joshua's breathing sped up. As he reached his nipples, though, Neku allowed a smile and pinched the nub, making Joshua gasp in alarm._

_"Maybe… but you **need** this, ne?" He whispered huskily._

_"D-don't be…! **Aaaah!** Ne-Ne… k-kuuuu…!" Joshua whined as Neku rolled the nub between his fingers._

_"Heheh… you say you don't want it… but you're already so hard…" Neku whispered, letting his hand trail down to cup the silverette's groin, rubbing over his erection with his palm._

_The Composer of Shibuya whined pathetically, his back arching up on its own, his head flopping back and his hips bucking up. "Ah… ha… haaah…! N-no… please… no!"_

_But Neku only chuckled, and kept on rubbing, with a little more force, making Joshua moan in appreciation. He was gasping for air, trembling in Neku's grip as the fox continued to rub his hand over the silver-haired male's clothed cock, humming softly at the noises Josh was making._

_"Do you still want me to stop… **Yo~shi~ya**?"_

_"Ah… ah… n… no… please… please, let me…"_

_Neku smirked coldly then, and Joshua whimpered when he ran his index finger along the base of Joshua's straining erection. "Oh? If you want it so bad… beg me for it."_

_"Ne… Nekuuuu…"_

_"Beg for it, Composer!"_

_Joshua whimpered pathetically as he wriggled in the Kitsune's grip. He gasped and whined, but Neku's hand knew exactly where it had to be and was slowly driving him insane. He shook his head rapidly from side to side, before he choked on something almost sounding like a sob._

_"N… Ne-Neku… sa… ma… please… p-please… ahhh…! P… please f… fu-fuck… me… please…"_

_Neku allowed a cold chuckle at Joshua's pleas, bringing his body down on Joshua's as he undid the Composer's pants. Moving so his mouth was on level with the silverette's ear, he whispered softly: "Good boy… never forget; until I say otherwise, your body belongs to me."_

* * *

><p>"Dammit… god…<em>dammit!<em>" Joshua choked out, his body shaking as he recalled how he had begged of Neku to fuck him, and not just once either. He had begged for it over and over again, until the point where he had been unable to stand.

Joshua choked as he felt something dribble out of his body and quickly covered his mouth to stop an indignant cry, feeling his cheeks flare in shame. 'N… no… why… why do I… Dammit…! Dammit dammit dammit! Neku, you _bastard_!'

* * *

><p>When Joshua came out from the bathroom, fully dressed, Neku was packing the last of things for college. The redhead looked up as he stepped into the room, then went back to packing. Once he had stuffed everything in, he stood up again. "There's some breakfast left over in the kitchen if you want it," he said calmly, as though last night had never happened.<p>

"…Okay." Joshua really didn't want to argue or talk too much. Especially not to Neku.

The redhead didn't seem to care much, moving to the door and pulling on his shoes. "Lock the door on your way out, okay? Ja ne."

And then he was gone, leaving Joshua alone in the apartment.

Wordlessly, Joshua walked over to the kitchen. Neku had made some onigiri, as well as a bowl of shio ramen, a glass of fruit juice set beside it. Just simple breakfast, really, but Joshua had half a mind to not eat at all. However, he hadn't actually eaten anything the day before, and his stomach made it a point to tell him just that.

So, he pulled back the chair and slowly sat down, resisting the urge to leap up right away. Shaking slightly from the pain, Joshua bit his lip and reached for the chopsticks next to the bowl. He ate slowly, why, he wasn't even sure. He always expected to want to be out of there as soon as possible, and yet he found himself staying much longer than he should.

"…why do I keep doing this?" he whispered, before stuffing his mouth full of ramen, rather unceremoniously, but he was beyond caring. He took a big bite of the onigiri, swallowed, and immediately took a long gulp of his juice to wash the (much too large) chunk of rice down. "…ugh… how much longer? Does he… intend to keep using me… my body… for years?"

He recalled Neku saying that he had played Joshua's Game for five years, which was more than a little unusual in itself. But the fact that he possessed the feather that Joshua had given to the Neku in the parallel world he had run off to at the end of Neku's second week, made him worry that the Kyuubi could somehow find his way into alternate worlds, and perhaps into the past as well. If so, then perhaps Neku wanted to make him suffer for having to go through the Game so many times.

But no… Neku didn't strike him as the type to hold grudges. At least, he hadn't after the Game had been done. Then again, how much _did_ he really know about the powerful daiyoukai?

"…" Joshua sat up straight and let out a heavy sigh. "Well, no use fussing about it, now," he whispered softly. "At least he'll be satisfied for a little while…"

If there was one thing that Joshua had learned about Neku, it was that he would never call Joshua in two days in a row. There was usually an interval of three to four days, sometimes a little more, but never earlier. Why, Joshua wasn't sure, but he didn't dare to ask.

"Well, I suppose I'd better head back. Sanae's probably worried about where I spent the night again. Heheh…" he chuckled out, getting up from his seat.

But rather than leave, Joshua looked down at the bowl, plate, glass and chopsticks he had used. After a brief moment of hesitation, Joshua picked them up and walked to the sink to wash them. It was a small chore; one that usually only took a few minutes, so Joshua saw no need not to wash his own dishes.

As he washed them, though, he couldn't help but wonder about the Kyuubi's motives once again.

'…haven't you had enough yet, Neku?' he wondered to himself. '…should I even call you that? Did the person called Sakuraba Neku… really exist… or…?'

Sighing in exasperation, Joshua shook his head. There was no use in worrying about it now; the fact remained that Neku—the Kyuubi—could do whatever he wanted with Shibuya's Composer, and Joshua's pride wouldn't allow him to admit to anyone that it was happening. Hell, he had difficulty enough just admitting it to himself!

Setting the now cleaned and dried dishes into their respective cupboards, Joshua finally turned and walked to the door, pulling on his shoes slowly, before he finally stepped out. He closed and locked the door behind him, then put the spare key through the mailbox, and walked away. As he usually did after visiting Neku, he took the elevator down, where he leaned back against the railing and began to think.

'…at least he… didn't make me say it this time…'

Joshua bit his lip and shut his eyes, shuddering as he remembered that one night about three weeks ago.

Normally, Neku would wait until the end of the day and call him out, but there were occasions where he would pull Joshua out from the crowd and drag him into the same dark, candlelit room as where he had taken him that first time. It was rare for him to do so, but when he did, it was usually because he wanted to do things… differently.

* * *

><p><em>"Ah… ah… N-Neku-sa-maaah…!" Joshua whined as he bucked up into Neku's body, his hands gripping at the sheets as he kept his eyes shut tight.<em>

_The Kyuubi had pushed his legs up to his chest, his hands holding him by his ankles to keep them there as he pounded into him over and over again, a cold smirk playing on his face, as his nine powerful tails waved leisurely behind him._

_"Heh… heheh… hah… hah… say it, Yoshiya… Who do you belong to?"_

_"Y-you, Ne-Neku-samaaa!" Joshua wailed out, not even thinking about what he was saying anymore. "Only you…! Ah… **ah!**"_

_"Again! Say it again!"_

_"I-I… I belong… to-to… ah! T-to… you, Neku-sa…maaaah!"_

_"Louder!"_

_"I-I… belong to…"_

_"I said LOUDER!"_

_Joshua gave a cry when Neku's tails moved in on his body, immediately assaulting every sensitive spot they could find, making his body tremble in pleasure._

_"I… I…" Joshua whimpered as one of the Kitsune's tails stroked his straining erection, before he opened his mouth again. "I BELONG TO YOU, NEKU-SAMA!" he fairly shouted out, and was rewarded by Neku's deep, rumbling laughter._

_"Good boy…" he murmured, moving Joshua's legs over his shoulders and lowering his body down onto the silverette's as his tails moved aside. This effectively folded Joshua's entire body and made the smaller male whine as his cock rubbed against Neku's stomach with every thrust. "One last thing… then I'll let you come."_

_"Ah-ah…! A-anything! I'll do anything! Just… please, please, please…" Joshua whimpered out, his hands still grasping the sheets as tightly as he could. What Neku said next, though, made his eyes fly open in surprise._

_"Kiss me."_

_"H-huh…?"_

_"You heard me."_

_Joshua bit his lip harshly, looking up into Neku's solemn face, the dark eye shadow around his eyes making them seem so much darker than they already were, vertical pupils filling up almost the entire iris, and two long, fur-lined fox ears coming from somewhere in his hair. He almost seemed like a different person…_

_'But… but…'_

_Joshua forced as much of his strength into his arms as he could, and quietly pushed up to connect his mouth to Neku's, his eyes shut. The Kitsune hummed, obviously pleased, and pushed back against the silver-haired boy (compared to the Kyuubi's age, he was just a boy, after all) beneath him, using his tongue to urge Joshua's own out to play. And Joshua, unable to refuse, did just that, sighing softly as their tongues moved around each other so gently._

_Finally, the Kyuubi moved back, slowly, and whispered in Joshua's ear. "**Come for me, Yoshiya.**"_

_Unable to disobey, Joshua let out a choked scream as his orgasm hit him, making his eyes roll back into his head. A single tear rolled down his face, but it was quickly licked up by the Kyuubi above him, just before he grunted loudly, his own orgasm filling Joshua up and making the boy choke out as his cheeks flared._

_"Hah… hah… never forget, Yoshiya…" Neku murmured as he pulled away. "You're mine… until I say otherwise… this body…" he purred, running his nails along Joshua's chest, "is mine to command."_

_Joshua whimpered softly, but couldn't say anything, as he felt his consciousness fading away from him slowly._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Ping<em>**

Joshua nearly jumped at the sound of the elevator doors opening. Upon realizing he'd reached ground floor, he hurriedly got out and continued his trek.

That had been the first time he had been forced to say that, but it hadn't been the last. Neku seemed to take great pleasure in having Joshua shout that particular phrase, but he didn't always ask—well, demand, really—for it.

As he walked through the streets of Shibuya, Joshua looked around at the people he passed. There were a lot of couples out, he noticed, but most of them were hetero couples. No, actually… all of them were. He didn't see a single that involved two people of the same gender.

_"The Netherlands legalized homosexual marriages, so they're planning to go over, have a good time, and then get hitched before coming back home."_

Neku's words resounded through his head once again, and he frowned, whipping around with every intent to just ignore them and continue to WildKat.

…but his legs wouldn't move.

As he thought for a moment longer, Joshua sighed as he realized he actually didn't _want_ to see Sanae. In fact, he didn't really want to see _anyone._

So he shut his eyes, switched his frequency back to the UG and flew to the top of the 104 building. And there he stayed for the remainder of the day, silently watching everyone down below go about their lives.

And, not for the first time in the past two months, he cried silently.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Right. This story does have some dark tints, but it's considerably lighter than Purification... This IS going to have a few SM moments,** **however****, but that won't be for a while.**

**If you don't get what the story is about, read "Purification". It's six stages long, and also explains what is going on a little better than the recap in this chapter, I feel.**

**Also, if you liked, please review. I'll put the next stages up regardless of reviews, but it's nice to know people are reading what your write.  
><strong>


	2. Stage 2 The Talk

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><strong>Stage 2 - The Talk<strong>

"…shua… Josh, wake up!"

Joshua snapped awake almost immediately, almost bumping into the person leaning over him. It took him a few moments to realize he was still on top of the 104 building, but he must've dozed off at some point.

Shaking the weariness away, he turned to the person who had woken him, and nearly tensed up. "Neku…"

The redhead in question merely looked at him quietly from his crouched position. He was still in his uniform, so he'd probably come here straight from college. And Joshua wasn't sure he liked the expressionless look on the daiyoukai's face, but before he could start to worry, the redhead allowed a small smile.

"Thought you'd be up here… Mr. H was looking for you."

"…he was?" Joshua asked slowly. How long had he been asleep for?

"Yeah. He said you didn't show up at all toda… Josh? Are you okay?" Neku asked suddenly, reaching out a hand to Joshua's face.

The Composer flinched back almost immediately, before he realized what he just did and attempted to cover it up. "Yes, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

But Neku seemed unconvinced and frowned, but he said nothing and lowered his hand again. He watched Joshua for a little longer, before he moved to the edge of the building, leaning forward on the railing.

'…it would be so easy…' Joshua thought as he stood up. '…just one push and—no! No! Bad idea! **Bad** idea! Not only would he survive that, but he'd be pissed as hell and lord knows what he'd—'

"…my father's been diagnosed with cancer."

The words came so fast and so sudden, that Joshua completely lost his train of thought. "…what?"

"My mother called me during class today… course, that got me in a lot of trouble with the teachers… until I told them the news." Neku wasn't looking at Joshua. He kept his eyes on the city below them, unmoving. "And then they just let me go home…" At this point, Neku reached up and ran a hand through his unruly mane, the gesture almost seeming unsure.

"…What kind of cancer is it?" Joshua asked slowly, walking over to stand beside the redhead.

"On his kidneys… well, one of 'em. Discovered it by accident when he was just going to see if there might be something wrong with his lungs."

"Why did he think something was wrong?" Joshua wasn't even sure why they were talking about this, but he was a little glad for the distraction. It kept his mind away from… other subjects.

"He coughed up blood a while ago." Looking over from the corner of his eyes and seeing the surprised look in the Composer's eyes, Neku clarified: "He was using blood thinner at one point, and he got a nosebleed at that point. He probably inhaled some of it."

"Aha. I see," Joshua murmured, trying to make it seem like he didn't care. "So… now what?"

"Well… they're going to have to remove the kidney in question… shouldn't pose much of a problem, but there's the chance that it might have already spread to other organs."

"…"

What could he say? "Sorry for your loss" made it sound like the guy was already dead, and saying something like "I'm sorry to hear that" or "it'll be fine" just sounded like something he was forced to suffer through a lot ever since he was informed of the news. So he said nothing. Merely stood beside Neku and gazed out over the city without a word.

"…hey, Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"…thanks."

"…?" At that simple statement, Joshua blinked, turning to the other male, unsure. He hadn't said anything yet, so why was he being thanked? "For what?"

Neku merely allowed a smile. "For listening to me ramble." Silently, he pushed off again and took a deep breath, before letting it out slowly. "Whew… Well, I better head back… Still got homework to deal with and all. Ja ne."

With those words, Neku turned with a small wave and headed for the stairs.

Joshua watched him for a moment longer, sighing quietly himself. Just as Neku was about to reach the doorway, however, he whipped around and called out to the redhead.

"Neku!"

Said young man stopped and turned, slightly surprised, but he didn't say anything. Just waited for him to say what he needed to.

"…Don't give up hope."

'…did-did I just really say that? Shit! What's wrong with me?'

Neku seemed just as startled by Joshua's words as the silver-haired Composer himself was. For a moment, neither spoke, but finally, Neku allowed a small smile that, for some inexplicable reason, made Joshua freeze.

"I know. Thanks."

After giving a small nod, Neku turned back around and walked through the door, disappearing out of sight as the door clicked shut behind him.

Joshua spent a few more moments gazing at the door, before looking back to the city.

_"…my father's been diagnosed with cancer."_

Why had Neku even bothered to tell him? After all, he was Shibuya's Composer, and it was not unusual—or even unnatural—that, sometimes, people in the city he overlooked died, whether it was by old age, sickness, accident or even murder. It all happened, and Joshua could only do so much, and only with those who didn't die naturally.

And cancer was considered natural, so, even if he wanted to, there was nothing Joshua could do for the man.

But Neku apparently hadn't come to him because of that; he just needed someone to listen to what he had to say. He didn't even want a response; he just wanted to know that someone was listening.

…but why?

* * *

><p>"Hm? Oh, hey, Boss. Where ya been?" Hanekoma asked as Joshua walked into WildKat. The place was, as usual, empty, so there was no need to worry about people overhearing.<p>

"Oh, out and about," Joshua quipped with his traditional giggle. "You now, just enjoying how well Shibuya's been developing lately."

Not a complete lie; that was what he usually did nowadays, if only to keep his mind off of what he might be in for when Neku came for him next. Today, however, he hadn't really felt like listening, too deeply engrossed in his own thoughts.

"Heh. Can't blame ya there. She does appear to be doing much better than five years ago… although… hmm…"

Joshua resisted the urge to both frown and to bit his lip. 'Does he suspect something…?' he worried absently, before he asked: "Hm? 'Although' what, Sanae?"

"Ah, 's probably nothing, but I'd almost say her improvement spiked 'bout two months ago."

'…! T-two months ago?'

"…Really now?" Joshua hummed in thought, but then he giggled. "Well, perhaps my petty worries of our foxy little friend had me antsy so much that I wasn't thinking straight."

Sanae chuckled. "Maybe so, Boss. Oh, did you see Phones, by the way?"

"Ah, yes, we spoke briefly. He seemed quite preoccupied, though," Joshua said without a hitch, though his fingers twitched inside his pocket.

"Oh? Hmm… now that you mention it, he _did_ seem a bit distant…"

So even Hanekoma noticed, huh? Though given from his response, he didn't know what it was about. Or he did and just wasn't telling Joshua.

"In any case, I suppose I'd better get things ready for the next Game. You had it scheduled for this weekend, ne?"

"Yep. Starting Saturday morning."

"Okay. In that case, I'll be getting back to work then. See you later, Sanae."

With those words, Joshua headed to his room in the back of WildKat, but as he walked up the stairs, he couldn't help but think back to Hanekoma's words. How Shibuya's progress had spiked up for the better two months ago, and it only seemed to be getting better.

'How does that make any sense? I've been feeling _horrible_ these past two months! Because of… of… argh! I'm not even going to think on that! I've got work to deal with!'

* * *

><p>And so it was that Joshua sat, working until late in the night, lost in thought about how to run the next Game. However, there were times when he noticed himself looking out of the window, wondering about so many other things.<p>

'…why does Sanae believe it spiked two months ago…?' he wondered, sitting back in his chair. '…that day… had to have the worst day of my li—afterlife…'

**_BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP!_**

"Gah!" Joshua practically jumped out of his chair at that sudden sound, whipping around to face his madly vibrating and beeping phone on his desk. "Wh-what the!"

**_BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP!_**

"…It couldn't…" But as he picked it up, shakily, he gulped as he realized there was only one person it could really be. 'Neku…'

**_BEEP BEEP! BEE—_**

Before it could finish, Joshua flicked it open and brought it to his ear. "Hello?"

"_…hey…_"

"…? Neku?" 'Was that…? Why is he so quiet?'

"_…yeah… sorry, am I interrupting?_"

"Huh? Oh um… maybe a little," Joshua admitted, looking at what he had been working on. "I was just working out some stuff for the next Game this Saturday." 'Ack! Why'd I just tell him the Game's on Saturday? Shit! He's gonna get ideas like this!'

"_…oh…_" Silence for a long moment, before the male on the other side sighed. "_Sorry… I'll call back some other time…_"

"Ah! Wait, Neku!" Joshua called out, not even sure why he was doing so but unable to pull the words back.

"_…yeah?_"

The silverette almost sighed audibly at the fact that Neku hadn't hung up just yet. "I was going to take a small break anyway. So, why'd you decide to call me at 11 in the evening? Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed?"

"_…I… I just…_"

Joshua frowned at the small hint of what sounded suspiciously like uncertainty in Neku's voice. It almost sounded like he was hesitant to speak up, which didn't sound like the Neku he had come to know.

"_…what happens to humans when they die?_"

When the question finally registered in Joshua's mind, he allowed a small chuckle. "Well, I would assume the same as anyone else, ne? They stop breathing, they get put in the earth or get burned and—"

"_…that's not what I mean, Joshua…_" Neku interrupted. "_…I meant their soul… when they die… where does it go?_"

Silence.

Joshua wanted to give another one of his smart comments, but the tone of Neku's voice didn't allow him. There was just something in the way that Neku asked that made him pause.

"…Neku, why do you want to know that?"

"_…can you stop avoiding my question for once?_" Neku asked in return. "_It's… important to me…_"

The Composer was quiet for a moment longer, before he sighed softly and said honestly: "I don't know…"

"_…you… don't know…?_"

"Not really… I only know that people who are killed or die in accidents get their souls sent to play the Game… if they have the strong desire to still live, of course. I really don't know what happens to those who move on…"

"_…oh…_"

"…ne, Neku?"

"_…hm?_"

"What about youkai?"

"_…? What about them?_"

"What happens to youkai when they die?"

"_…technically… we can't die…_"

"Oh?"

"_But… we can be killed… though even if that happens, we'll be reborn after a while… maybe a century or two… given that the people still believe in us…_"

"Ah, yes, I've heard that theory before; youkai are born from the fear and anxiety of humans, and the more one believes them to be true, the more powerful the youkai, ne?"

"_It's a little more complicated than that, actually…_"

"Oh? Do tell."

"_While there are in fact youkai who get stronger the more humans believe in them, if there isn't a single human left alive, we would also disappear._"

"And why would that be?"

"_I'm not fully sure myself, but it has something to do with the aura humans emit when they think of and fear youkai. It's what ties us here. Most of us, at least…_"

"Oh? Name one that doesn't need it, then."

"_Kitsune,_" was the immediate response, making Joshua tense. "_We're not born as youkai; we're foxes who have reached a certain age and gained the ability to speak and change our shapes._"

"Hmm… I see your point," Joshua murmured, glad that his voice didn't sound as shaky as he felt. "…Anyway, I believe we've completely lost what we were talking about originally."

"_So we have…_" Neku mumbled absently. The Kyuubi was silent for a moment, before he asked, for whatever reason, Joshua didn't know: "_How did you die, Josh?_"

"…how did I…?"

"_Back in the Game, Beat mentioned the only way for a new Composer to be appointed is for a Player or Reaper to defeat the current one…_" Joshua made a mental note to have a "chat" with the blonde, later… or to put a mouse in his shoes. Whichever he felt up to first. "_So you were either a Player or a Reaper before you took over… And you have to die to become either. So… how did you die?_"

"…" Joshua wasn't sure how to respond. Of course he remembered how he died, that wasn't the point; the point was that he really didn't want to discuss it with Neku. After all, was there anyone in the Game who ever openly talked about how they died? No.

"_…don't wanna say, huh?_" Neku asked quietly.

"…not really."

"_…fine._"

Okay, Joshua hadn't seen that coming. He would've expected Neku to at least pressure him into talking, but the other male said nothing about it. Not that he was going to mention that, mind you.

"…how's your 'dad'?" Joshua asked after a moment, but he was unable to keep the hint of sarcasm out of his voice.

"_I'm not heartless despite being a youkai, Joshua,_" Neku said solemnly in response to the Composer's sarcasm. "_And since you asked, he's doing fine. They're operating on him on Monday morning, to get it out as soon as possible._"

"Ah. How're his chances looking?"

"_Good enough. He won't die during the surgery, at least…_"

"Don't say that too loudly now, dear."

"_Don't call me that!_"

Joshua merely chuckled in response. "Though you surprised me… I was under the assumption you wouldn't care much about him."

"_He's a good person, Joshua,_" Neku said simply. "_And even if I'm a youkai, he **is** the person who has been looking after me for the past 20 years. It would be dishonorable if I did not care for him to some degree._"

"…" Joshua couldn't say anything to those words. He wanted to, but he couldn't find the words to say. No matter how much he racked his mind for them, he couldn't find the words that he wanted to say in this situation.

"_…hey, Josh?_"

"Yeah?"

"_…thanks…_"

"That's the second time you've thanked me today. Whatever for?"

"_Sometimes… all people need is a listening ear._"

"Oh? Where'd you hear that?"

"_'Stalker',_" Neku said with a small chuckle. "_Anyway, I'll let you get back to work now. Oyasumi._"

"Oyasumi."

And that was the end of the conversation, but Joshua remained with the phone to his ear for at least five more minutes before finally moving.

He had not expected Neku to question him about where people went when they died, sounding almost hopeful for an answer. Unfortunately, he didn't know the answer. Composers, he knew, could eventually ascend to the status of Angels if they so desired, but Joshua had no wish for that. He just wished to watch over Shibuya and to watch it grow and prosper…

_This may surprise you… but I have a friend who believes that the heart… is like an unborn child. You can try to kill yourself as much as you want… but that 'child' inside your chest will keep fighting to live. It will keep pounding, screaming, and crying until you stop and listen… listen to its wordless pleas to live…_

Neku's words from _that_ night echoed through his head, and Joshua began to understand why the Kyuubi had spoken them. He had said that, when one becomes Composer, the city they oversee becomes their heart, and it's the responsibility of the Composer to ensure that heart keeps beating and living. And, in a way, taking care of you heart _was_ like taking care of a baby… you had to consider very carefully what to do with it if you wanted it to stay healthy and to keep beating powerfully.

It was something Joshua had only come to understand two months ago, when he had been punished harshly by the Kyuubi for his negligence.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated and beeped once, signaling an incoming message. Having a feeling who it was from, Joshua slowly flipped open his phone and read the message.

* * *

><p><strong><em>One new message from Sakuraba Neku<em>**

_"Almost forgot… -chu-"_

* * *

><p>And that was it.<p>

"…chu? Seriously?" Joshua asked slowly, but his face felt a little more hot than usual. "Ugh… does he expect me to… dammit, he probably does, doesn't he?"

Sighing dramatically, Joshua quietly texted back. But, before hitting send, he brought the phone to his lips and gave the screen a small, chaste kiss.

* * *

><p><strong><em>One new message from Kiryuu Yoshiya<em>**

_"Oh, just hush and go to sleep, dear. -chu-"_

* * *

><p>Neku allowed a deep, rumbling chuckle as he reclined back on his bed in the apartment, flicking the phone shut and placing it on the nightstand. Stretching, he allowed himself to settle against the headboard, before sliding down it to lay down on the bed.<p>

"So… there's another Game on Saturday, huh?" he murmured softly to himself, hands behind his head. "Fun… mmm… hm?"

Sitting up straight, Neku frowned darkly, barely breathing as he only listened. It did not take him overly long to fins what he had heard; a distortion in Shibuya's Music, making is beat irregular, just slightly.

"…Taboo…" Neku snarled out, his pupils contracting and shifting into vertical slits. "Too far long at this point… looks like I have to jump backwards for tonight."

Shaking his head, he settled down upon the bed, hitched up his shirt a little and placed his hands, held in a diamond shape with index fingers and thumbs, over his stomach, and then shut his eyes, falling asleep slowly. And for the rest of the night, Neku didn't move an inch.

Those who saw him, would even go as far as to say he wasn't breathing…

* * *

><p><strong>AN: About the "diamond shape on the stomach" thing... I recently found out that's it's a Japanese urban legend that if you go to sleep like that, your soul can leave your body.**

**The youkai theory Neku mentions is actually based on the theory from the anime "Karas", in case you're interested. As for the "your heart is a baby" thing... I got that from a manga somewhere but I forgot which it was, sorry.**

**As for the thing with Neku's dad... that comes from personal experience.  
><strong>


	3. Stage 3 The Game

_**Wishes  
><strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 3 - The Game<strong>_

When the Game started on Saturday, Joshua couldn't help but feel as though something was off. Not in a bad way, though, but still off. Just the other day, he had felt as though his heart was beating a little bit off its usual pace, and Shibuya's Music had sounded… different, somehow.

But now he felt just fine, and… he could only barely remember feeling… like something was… was…

"…what was I thinking about, again?" Joshua murmured softly, holding his head and frowning in slight confusion.

The thought from before had completely disappeared from his mind, as though he had just been imprinted by someone. But he was the Composer, and he had over a dozen mental barriers around him to prevent himself from being scanned or imprinted. The only reason Neku had been able to scan him during that second week was because he had allowed him to.

"…" Sighing softly, Joshua shook his head. 'Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. If it's important, I'll remember eventually.'

The silver-haired Composer watched as the Players had finally begun scrambling their way toward Hachiko to find a Partner to help them survive the oncoming week. Several dozen of them were killed off before they could form a pact however, reducing the number of Players to a measly 16. It then took them a small while before they were able to finish the mission, which was to reach 104 before the hour was up.

"…Looks like I missed the first day, huh?"

Joshua tensed and whipped around in surprise. "N-Neku? Wh-why are you… wait… what _happened _to you?"

"Don't get me started…" Neku mumbled, reaching up and holding a soaking wet handkerchief to his face, wincing as it touched the ripped skin under his eye. "Gah… damn, that stings!"

The redhead was dressed in the pitch-black and silver kimono he usually wore when in 'Kyuubi' mode, minus the eye shadow, ears and tails, but it was left open halfway and it had been ripped at a few places. As though…

"…Bit off a little more than you could chew with your fights, dear?" Joshua chuckled out.

"Don't call me that!" Neku snarled out as he dabbed the wet rag to his face, before pulling it away once he was sure it wasn't bleeding anymore. "And like I said, don't get me started…"

The silver-haired Composer merely chuckled, though he was repressing the urge to frown openly at the Kitsune's appearance. It was clear that Neku had been in some kind of fight, but getting that information out of the fox was going to be difficult, he knew. He had to wonder how Neku had been able to fight against _anything _inside Shibuya without Joshua knowing about it.

"…So, any interesting Players down there?" said fox questioned suddenly as he moved over to lean forward on the railing.

The silverette allowed a dramatic sigh. "Not at this moment, I'm afraid. Why? Hoping for some excitement?"

"Maybe…" Neku mumbled softly.

"…if I may ask, why are you even here? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Felt like it and didn't feel like it," the redhead answered without really looking up.

"Hmm…"

Shrugging the matter off, Joshua leaned forward beside the Kitsune to watch the rest of the Players arrive. The timer might've disappeared, but it was still required to reach 104 or things wouldn't progress at all.

"…ne, Josh?"

'…uh-oh… I don't like the sound of that…' "Hm?"

"…Shall we play a game?"

* * *

><p>"Heyo, Phones!"<p>

Blinking, the redhead looked up from where he had been crouched down to retie his shoelaces, and allowed a smile as the blonde shouting for him came over on his skateboard. "Hey, Beat. 'Sup?"

Beat kicked up his board when he reached the other man and allowed a chuckle. "Heheh. Well, tomorrow's Sunday, so Rhyme and me were thinking of calling everyone in for a lil 'reunion, yo."

"Heh… sounds fun. Where you guys planning to meet? Same as usual?"

"Yep! We're meeting over at Hachiko at 10! So ya better be there, too, yo!"

"Wouldn't dream to miss it… Though seriously, you could've texted, yanno?"

"Yeah, 'bout that… wanted to talk to you before that, yanno yo?"

"Hm? What's wrong?" the redhead queried, sounding genuinely worried.

"Well…"

* * *

><p>"…a game?" Joshua asked slowly, unsurely.<p>

The last time the Kyuubi had said that particular phrase, Joshua had walked right into Neku's hands and set himself up for a punishment he would not soon forget. So it was no wonder he was hesitant to take up Neku's 'offer'.

"Yes." The fox pushed off from the railing and turned to Joshua, a solemn look on his face. "Just to spruce up this Game a little. Unless you actually believe the current Players can top _those_ three weeks, ne?"

No, they couldn't. There was no denying it; there would never be any Players on the same level as Neku, Shiki or Beat had been. That was practically impossible. Then again, the stakes had been a little higher than normal at that time.

"…What kind of game?" Joshua asked carefully. He made a mental note to refuse the game at the slightest hint of trouble; he did _not_ want that night from two months ago to repeat itself.

"No need to get all hostile on me," Neku chuckled out, leaning back on the railing. "It's just a game in which we bet on the winner of the Game. Like horse races."

"In other words… gambling?"

"Hmm… something like that."

That was even more of a reason for Joshua to not like the chances. While he was fine with playing games, actual gambling was something he really didn't like. There was a reason why gambling was considered addicting, after all, and Joshua was not about to be addicted to anything… not anymore, at least.

"I think I'll pass on this one, Neku," he said calmly.

"Oh? Even if I told you the winner would be allowed to make the loser do _anything_ he wanted to?"

As much as Joshua wanted to say that he was not playing, though, Neku's last words caused a small spark of hope to ignite in his chest. "…anything?"

"_A~ny~thing_," Neku said slowly in a half singsong voice, a small smirk on his face.

"…really?" he asked slowly, his rational mind screaming at him to just say no and be done with it.

"Really really."

"…" Joshua's mind was torn between accepting the game upon hearing the 'prize' and just flat out turning Neku down. However, the more rational side of his mind was losing against the side of his mind that wanted to utilize this to keep Neku away from him for the rest of his (after)life.

And finally…

"…okay. But on one condition."

"Do tell," Neku said calmly with a small shrug.

"During the duration of the Game, I want you to not come anywhere near me."

Neku looked at him with a slightly startled look, before he snorted and let out a bark of laughter. "Really now? Well, fine. I can live with that… however, I have a condition of my own to add, then."

"…wh…what's that?" Already, Joshua was starting to regret his decision.

"I won't touch you like that, but you'll have to 'pay' for it."

"How is that fair?" Joshua demanded, already knowing what he meant by 'payment'.

"If not, then your condition will be invalid."

"Urgh…! T-then… I have another condition!"

"Oh?"

"When delivering 'payment'… you're not to do anything!"

"Oooh. Well, fine. In that case…"

Like that, they spent the next hour going over about half a dozen conditions for their game.

* * *

><p>"…Ah. I see. Soo… you wanna introduce him to the others?" the redhead asked curiously.<p>

"Well, yeah, I guess," Beat mumbled rubbing the back of his neck. "Dude's got no one else… plus, I think his foster parents put 'im in the wrong school, yo."

"That so? What makes you say that?"

"Um… that's kinda hard to explain. But anyway! I'm dragging him along tomorrow! So try not to start a fight, a'ight?"

"Heh. Wouldn't dream of it."

After briefly knocking their fists together, the two men parted ways. Once Beat was out of sight, the redhead sighed softly.

'Well, at least I won't be bored while Master is busy. Right; time to get a move on, then.'

* * *

><p>"…Agreed?"<p>

"Agreed," Neku said with a small smirk. "So… any idea of their first 'actual mission'?"

"Hihi. You should know that that's not for me to decide, dear."

"Stop calling me that," the redhead snarled out. "But fine. So, different question; you know what you want if you win, yet?"

"Hmm… How 'bout you leaving me be from now on? Or would that offend you somehow?"

Neku hummed in thought, before he shrugged. "Fine. I suppose I can live with that. Though if you do win, would there be objections if we still met up every now and again?"

"Neku…"

"No ulterior motives, I swear. What I meant by that was just hanging out with the whole gang for once, that's all."

"…Alright. That's acceptable, I suppose." Joshua paused briefly to steel his nerves, since he already had a feeling he knew what the response would be. "And what would you ask for if you win?"

The smirk that played along Neku's face made Joshua gulp in worry. "Hmm… why don't you take a guess, ne?"

"Forget I asked…" Joshua mumbled. He really didn't want to think about it too much, but it did make him all the more determined to win this game.

'I can't lose… I won't…!'

* * *

><p>The next morning, at 10 AM sharp, Joshua touched down upon the rooftop of 104, and for once, he was actually dreading the moment the Game started. He moved over to the edge of the building as he tuned down to the RG, watching the people far below him go about their lives, unaware if the Game that was about to unfold right under their noses, or the one that was happening right on top of that one.<p>

The basic rules for the game between himself and Neku was simple; at the beginning of the Game, they would take guesses on which pair would be able to clear the mission first. If they were correct, then they would win one round. If no one was correct, then the round would be considered a draw. The person to get 3 points over the next five days (they had decided to not count the last day) was declared the winner.

"Here already?"

Joshua almost jumped at the voice, before he sighed and turned to Neku as he walked over from the doorway. "Only just. No homework today?"

"Nah. I finished everything last night," was Neku's response with a light shrug. "Did they start yet?"

"No, not yet." Joshua resisted the urge to bit his lip, since he knew what would come next.

However, Neku didn't say anything as he stood by the railing to look out across the city. Of course, Joshua knew why; that was part of their agreement, after all.

So, after taking a deep breath and gulping down what was blocking his throat, he marched up to the redhead, grabbed him by the arm, spun him around — and promptly locked their mouths together, his hands on the side of Neku's head to both keep him there and to tilt his head down (since he _was_ taller than the silver-haired Composer).

And Neku made nary a sound. Hell, he didn't even _move_. He only opened his mouth enough for Joshua to slip his tongue in. Josh was sure his face was a bright red from embarrassment, but he didn't dare open his eyes to look at Neku to confirm. That was the last thing he needed…

However, Neku kept himself to the condition they had set yesterday in that he would not do anything and wordlessly accepted the required 'payment'.

When he finally pulled away, Neku remained standing with his eyes shut. He only opened them once Joshua had stepped away from him.

"…That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked calmly.

"Well… I… I guess not…" Joshua was not about to say that it had felt more than 'not bad'. Last thing he wanted was to give the Kyuubi a bloated ego.

Without saying anything else, the fox turned back to the city, leaning forward on the railing and merely staring ahead of him. Joshua watched the redhead for a moment, before he joined him at the railing. And like that, they staid silently, until the Players were brought back to awareness somewhere in Shibuya.

"…Game on…" Joshua murmured, for more than one reason.

* * *

><p>At the same time, a solemn redhead made his way across the Scramble and arriving at Hachiko one minute past 10. He wasn't the first to arrive, however; Rhyme, Shiki and Eri were already there. Beat was nowhere to be seen, but he had expected that.<p>

"Ah! Neku! Over here!" Eri cried out, hopping up and down and waving her arms excitedly.

The redhead laughed as Shiki attempted to calm Eri down, while Rhyme only smiled at him as he approached. "Heya. Guess Beat's running late, huh?"

"Yeah. He said he was going to arrange something, but he didn't say what," Rhyme said calmly, though she did appear slightly worried about her big brother. "I wonder if he's okay…"

"It'll be okay, Rhyme," Shiki said as she adjusted her hold on Mr. Mew. "It's Beat we're talking about. I'm sure he just got a little distracted."

At those words, Rhyme seemed to relax. "Yeah. I suppose you're right."

"YOOOO!" Beat's voice suddenly called out as the blonde in question weaved his way through the crowds to reach his friends. "Whew! Made it!"

"What took you so long?" Eri demanded with a huff, her hands on her hips, until she realized that Beat had been dragging someone else by the wrist. "Hm? Who's he?"

'So… this is the one Beat meant, huh?' the redhead thought absently as he watched the other boy Beat was still dragging along.

He had shortcut hair that was a light brown in color, and a set of empty green eyes watched them silently. He was dressed in cargo pants and sneakers, a tight, sleeveless shirt with a black leather jacket over it. He also had a pair of fingerless gloves and a simple army cap, and he was quite well-built. He obviously exercised quite regularly. The last notable fact about him was the collar strapped around his neck, an inverted cross dangling from the buckle.

"Heheh. Was getting to that," Beat chuckled, pulling the other boy forward a little more. "Gang, this is Akataiyo Jin. We go ta the same school."

"Oh! Well, nice to meet you, Jin—can we call you Jin? I'm Eri, and this is Shiki," the redheaded girl said with a bright smile. Shiki shied away from Jin just slightly, though she did manage a smile from behind Mr. Mew.

Rhyme allowed a smile and a giggle of her own, before she spoke. "Nice to meet you, Jin-kun. I'm Rhyme. Beat mentioned you a few times in passing, I think."

The youth who had taken Neku's looks was not surprised that Rhyme might have heard of him before anyone else; Beat kept in touch with her a little more than he did with others, so it wasn't so strange, really. However, as he watched Jin's expression, he couldn't help but feel like something was off.

'…ah, I see…'

"Pleasure," he said finally. "Name's Neku."

"…" the brunette merely stared them all down, his face completely emotionless. But after a while, he turned away with a small snort. "…whatever."

"Dude, c'mon! Don't be like that; today'll be fun! You'll see!" Beat said jovially, putting one arm around the other male's shoulders.

'…how nostalgic…' the redhead thought to himself, watching wordlessly as the youth didn't even bother to react. 'He's almost the same as Master was before the Game… I wonder why…'

"A'iiiiiigggght!" Beat suddenly cried out, startling about half the group (Rhyme saw it coming and Jin didn't even react). "Let's get going! Time's a-wasting!"

With those words, Beat rushed ahead, dragging Jin along by his wrist, still, making the other blonde stumble after quickly. The others laughed and hurried after quickly enough.

* * *

><p>"Are those two married by any chance?" Neku asked after a moment, watching one of the teams running through the streets of Shibuya with speeds that were unmatched by any other pair of Players.<p>

"Why, as a matter of fact, yes. It seems they had some ties with the Yakuza, and that got them in a spot of trouble."

"One that got 'em killed, I bet… so why're they here?"

"Saa…"

At the moment, Neku and Joshua were gauging the different Players that were in the Game before making their decisions on who they believed would win. And Neku appeared to have taken interest in the 'married couple'.

"…Are there more couples who get stuck in the Game?"

"More often than you think."

After a moment longer, Joshua hummed as he came to the grim realization that this couple might not survive until the end of the week. They were good… but their Partnership was lacking in more ways than one.

"…So, you decided yet?" Joshua asked after a moment.

"…Yeah." Pointing a bit absently, Neku said: "Those two girls running out of the shop there."

"Hm? Not going for the couple?" Joshua asked teasingly, though he was, in fact, genuinely confused.

"They're not going to last," Neku said solemnly. "You wanna bet on 'em, be my guest, but I'm not risking it."

That was unexpected. Joshua had been almost certain that Neku would go for the married couple, given how much he had been watching them. Oh well.

"Hmm… alright. In that case, I think I'll go with the two brunettes running to the mission site."

"If you wish…" Neku murmured, keeping his eyes on the crowd.

And then they fell silent as they watched the Players run about through the streets of Shibuya, desperate to finish the mission and insure that they would not be erased. Of course, Uzuki and Kariya were mixed in between as well, deploying Noise and making things a little harder on them.

"…so are there many married couples popping up in the Game?" Neku asked suddenly.

"Normal couples, every now and again, but married couples… Not so much…" Joshua sighed out. "In fact, most adults don't even make it into the Game."

"They don't?" Neku asked, looking to Joshua in actual curiosity. "Why not?"

"More often than not, they lack the Imagination you need to play. They usually think that the Composer's 'offer' at a second chance if they win the Game is a joke, so they tend to demand us to stop it."

"…so they don't get in the Game and just go straight to wherever it is they're going, huh?"

"You got it. There's always exceptions, of course; people who still cling to the hope of their deaths being undone. Others write it off as a visual dream they're having, which is good, since that means they at least kept _some_ of their Imagination left."

"I see… Are there those who don't even get your 'generous offering'?"

Joshua ignored the sarcasm as though he didn't understand its meaning and chuckled. "Why yes, there are. For one, mass murderers or serial killers get an instant ban from the Game."

"Can imagine why… wouldn't want more of _those_ guys on the streets."

"Hmhmm."

Again, silence befell them and they just watched the Players for a little longer. But once again, Neku saw fit to speak up.

"Were there ever married couples who made it to the last day?"

Thinking about that question for a moment, Joshua debated on what to answer. Finally, though, he decided he may as well tell the truth.

"Once during my reign thus far… Unfortunately, they got erased by the Game Master at the end."

"Ah."

"…Sad."

"Huh?"

Joshua wasn't sure what had possessed him to speak up again, but now that he had, he might as well finish the thought. "When they were erased, they left their five-year-old son behind. And, if I'm not mistaking… he saw how his parents were murdered."

"…You're right…" Neku said slowly, turning back to the crowds. "That _is_ sad…"

Silence once more fell over them, but this time, neither of them spoke again.

Joshua was thankful for the silence, actually, since it gave him some time to think. It had been almost 17 years already since that couple had made it to the final day, and Joshua had actually been looking forward to seeing them (just a little, of course). Even if only one of them could be brought back at the end, at least the boy would've had one of his parents back.

But it never came to that…

The Game Master of that round had been particularly strong and had been hell-bent on getting a promotion, so he had not pulled any punches whatsoever.

Not a single Player had made it to the Room of Reckoning during that Game…

Joshua had not gone to see their child after that. He just couldn't bring himself to do it… it reminded him too much of…

"_Mother! Father!"_

Joshua tensed sharply at the sudden shout ringing through his ears. 'Oh god no… no no no no! Not now! Please! Not now!'

"_Joshua! Run! Get away! Run!"_

"_Noooo! Mother! Father!"_

The Composer clutched his head in both hands, panting as he shut his eyes tight, struggling against the voices in his head — one of them being his own. Because of this, he completely missed Neku's voice calling to him, didn't see the redhead turn his way, or the worried look on his face as he reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.

The touch triggered something inside of Joshua and he jumped away, screaming, startling Neku to the point where the Kitsune backed up.

Joshua was pale, even more so than usual, his body was trembling, his breath coming out in short gasps and his eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He couldn't stop himself as he backed up, and then collapsed on his knees, clutching his head tightly as he struggled to keep himself from openly sobbing.

"_Get away, Joshua! Run! Run as far away as you can!"_

"_N-no…! No, please no! Father, no!"_

"Ma… make it stop…!" he choked out through the pain now rushing through him. "Please… make it stop!"

…_screams…_

…_cries…_

…_blood…_

…_so much… blood…_

Suddenly, Joshua was pulled forward, drawing a startled cry from his throat. He fell against Neku's chest (who had settled on his own knees in front of the Composer during the time he wasn't looking) and the Kitsune had his arms wrapped around the shorter male's shoulders, keeping his close as his head rested on top of Joshua's. For a moment, nothing was said, and Neku merely held him, almost tenderly, and Joshua was tempted to pull away, but his body would not work with him at that moment.

So it took him a few minutes to realize just what Neku was doing and to start struggling to get loose. "N-Neku…! Let go! Th-this isn't what we—"

"Ssshh…" Neku didn't release him as he spoke, though he moved one of his hands to entangle it in Joshua's hair. "I'm not planning anything… this is just to help you calm down. Nothing else…"

"I-I don't want your pity! Let me go!"

"This isn't pity, Josh."

"Well whatever it is I don't want it!" Joshua cried out, still trying to push off from Neku's chest.

"Maybe…" Neku murmured in thought. "But it's what you _need_, isn't it?"

"What's the diff—"

But before Joshua could finish the question, Neku tilted his head up a little… and placed a soft kiss upon his temple. Just a simple touch, but it shut him up almost immediately.

He allowed himself to be pulled back against the Kitsune's chest, his head placed right over Neku's heart. He could both hear and feel the organ's powerful, steady beat through the Kyuubi's ribcage, resounding in his ear and setting the rhythm that his own, erratic heart had lost. The Composer of Shibuya remained deathly silent, only listening to the beating of Neku's heart, and he found himself feeling almost… nostalgic as he let his eyes fall shut.

…_do-kun… do-kun… do-kun… do-kun…_

Without even being aware of it, Joshua calmed down enough to the point where he was about to fall asleep, but he clutched to his consciousness like a drowning man clinging to a life preserver. But gradually, he couldn't stay awake much longer and he fell under, lulled into the darkness by that steady beat beneath his ear…

* * *

><p>"<em>Hush, hush now… it's okay… it's alright now…"<em>

"_B-b-but… M-my mother and… father… they… they're still…!"_

"_Ssshh… I know it's harsh… but you can't help them anymore…"_

"_N…no… please… let me go…!"_

"_Sshh… it's okay… I'm here… everything will be okay…"_

"…_lies… you're lying… it… it's never… going to be…"_

"…_What's your name?"_

"…_K-K-Kiryuu… Yoshi…ya… but… M-Mother and… Father call me… Joshua…"_

"_Joshua… listen to me… your parents told you to run… because they wanted you to stay alive… you still have your whole life ahead of you…"_

"_B…but…"_

"_Ssh… Just listen to me… I know this world seems cold… and uncaring… but we're all struggling in our own way. We all have things in our past we want to forget… but it's those things that shape us into who we are. You're still alive because your parents wanted you to live. Not just for you… but for them, as well. If you die, their legacy will vanish from this world completely and then no one will remember them. Is that what you want?"_

"…_! N-no! Ne-never…!"_

"_Then you have to live. Do you understand? Live. Not just for yourself, but also your parents. Stay alive… and live."_

* * *

><p>When he opened his eyes again, Joshua found himself looking up to the skies, and by the stance of the sun, it was somewhere around late-noon.<p>

"Finally awake, huh?"

Joshua blinked and tilted his head, before he paled and shot up, realizing he's been laying with his head on Neku's lap. "Wh-what the hell were you do—?"

"You dozed off, and you seemed comfy enough," Neku said casually, sipping from a can of what looked like soda.

"…" Joshua didn't bother to respond. He merely looked away with a small frown.

"…Oh, you win this round, by the way," the redhead said suddenly, without really looking up. "Congrats on that one."

"…eh? They… finished already?" he asked slowly, turning to face Neku.

"About an hour ago, yeah. Was close, but whatever." At this point, he fell silent to sip his drink. "1-0, huh?"

"…"

This wasn't what Joshua had been expecting. He hadn't expected the daiyoukai to be so… lenient, about his loss. Then again, it was only the first day of their game, meaning he still had the chance to catch up, but shouldn't he be a little more… angry?

However, Neku quietly remained where he was, occasionally sipping his drink and staring ahead of him with a thoughtful expression on his face.

After a long moment of silence, Joshua finally sighed softly and leaned back as well, just watching the city from where they sat. They said nothing to each other. They merely sat and watched, soundlessly, and Joshua couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen now…

* * *

><p>'…How strange…' the redhead thought to himself, watching the group of friends and the only odd bird in the group as they played a bunch of fighter games. Well, his friends were playing, Jin was just sitting by, hands in his pockets and staring ahead of him wordlessly. 'He says he doesn't want to be here, but for some reason he's still here… Why's that?'<p>

He also noticed how Jin carried a shoulder bag with him no matter where they went. The blonde wouldn't let the thing out of his sight for even an instant. Even now, as he sat, it rested on his lap rather than at his side.

Actually… now that he thought about it… didn't he…

"…" After a moment, the redhead reached out and picked up a coaster from the small stack they had prepared on the table he was sitting on and then pulled out the pen he always kept in his breast pocket, just in case. 'It's a good thing Master lent me some of his Imagination before sending me on this mission…' he thought, flipping the coaster to its blank side as he pulled off the cap from the pen with his teeth.

Wordlessly, and without looking up, he began to draw. Those seeing what he drew would state it looked almost like CAT's work, but not quite there. Which wasn't too surprising, given that CAT had been his inspiration, after all.

He could spot the brunette looking over without moving his head, but he kept his focus on the coaster he was drawing on, taking great care not to mess up anywhere. That was the downside of drawing with pen, after all.

Just as he finished with the picture, though, Jin reached over without a word and snagged a coaster of his own. He looked to the young man in silent question, but Jin didn't even bother to look up as he pulled out a pen of his own from his bag and began drawing as well once he'd removed the cap.

Allowing a small smile, the redhead turned back to what he was doing, before reaching for the next coaster.

* * *

><p>"…it's getting late," the Kyuubi said suddenly, rising to his feet. "I should be going."<p>

"Aww, already?" Hihi, you wound me, dear," Joshua giggled out.

"Don't call me that… and anyway, shouldn't you be heading back as well?"

"…" Joshua gave a long, exaggerating sigh as he stood up. "I suppose you're right. Wouldn't want Sanae to worry now, would we?"

"…Sanae?"

Joshua blinked at the change in tone from the Kitsune and looked over. The redhead was watching him with an empty expression that almost gave Joshua the shivers. "Hm? Is something wrong, Neku?"

"…no." The redhead shook his head in response. "Nothing's wrong… I'll see you tomorrow."

And with those words, the Kyuubi was gone, walking out the door leading back down to the streets of Shibuya.

Though Neku's behavior from just a second ago confused him, Joshua decided not to question it and tuned up his frequency, before taking off for WildKat.

As he went, however… he hoped that this 'game' of theirs would end soon. He wanted this entire thing to just come to an end so that it could go back to how things were supposed to be.

* * *

><p>"…I'm back, Master."<p>

Neku looked up from what he was doing and allowed a small smirk as the redheaded figure who had impersonated him to hang out with Beat and the others walked into the apartment. "Ah, Ichi. So, how did it go?"

"It went well, Master," said the other redhead politely, even as he reached into his pocket. "That boy your friend mentioned to me yesterday… he has potential."

"Really now?"

"Yes, Master. Here." Silently the person across from Neku held out a simple coaster, its once blank side turned black almost entirely because of the amount of drawings on it. "This is his work."

Curious, Neku accepted the coaster — and nearly dropped it in surprise. Not at what he saw on the coaster, but from what he felt coming from it.

"…Amazing… he actually poured his Imagination into this little thing? Huh… not consciously, I'll bet, but still impressive."

"Master…" the other male said. "This… was only one of the pieces he made today."

"…! …how many did he make?"

"A little over twenty, I believe… he draws quite fast, so I lost count after a while. I apologize for my negligence."

"I see… this was his first?"

"Last, actually."

"…"

Neku fell silent and only stared at the images drawn on the coaster. For a long time, the Kyuubi only watched quietly, before he asked: "Why did no one notice someone with his Talent before?"

"Two reasons, really; he moved out of Shibuya when his parents died, to go live with some relatives, and he didn't get back until a year ago, and then there was the fact that he's blocking it."

"…Blocking it?"

"That was the impression I got, yes. He seems to prefer being alone, but he doesn't reject others either. I think he's just confused about what it is he really wants."

"…or maybe… hmm…"

"…Master?"

Neku allowed a slow smirk to cross his lips. "This game… just got very interesting…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Akataiyou Jin is an OC, and he plays a bit of an important role much later, not right now. "Akataiyou**" **means "Red Sun", btw.**

**Was going to make this stage go up to the end of the game between Neku and Joshua, but it turned out to be longer than I expected it to become. I'm already working on the next chapter, which should be a little more 'spicy', for those of you itching for some action.  
><strong>


	4. Stage 4 The Victory

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 4 - The Victory<strong>_

When the 6th day of the Reaper's Game arrived, Joshua couldn't help but feel slightly anxious. Neku had kept his word and had not come near Joshua with any sexual intent and seemed to be more than content to just play the game he had set up with the Composer. That wasn't what really got to him, however; it was the fact of what Neku might do in the event that he actually won.

Joshua had wanted to have the game wrapped up by the fourth day, but Neku had bet on the winning pair the third and fourth day, whereas Joshua had bet on the winning pair the day before. Which meant that today was the "tiebreaker" round, which would mean that, if Neku won, the Kyuubi would not hesitate with whatever it was he'd planned for the end.

Joshua wasn't surprised that, when he arrived, Neku was already there, but what did surprise him was that he had his headphones resting over his ears and his eyes shut as he sat back against the railing, facing away from the city for once. The redhead didn't react when Joshua landed and tuned down his vibe, nor when the silverhead walked over and crouched down before him. Josh could actually hear the thunderous beats of "Give Me All Your Love" from the purple contraption Neku still owned (why, Joshua wasn't even sure), which would explain why he hadn't responded to the Composer's presence; he simply hadn't heard him.

Allowing a small cheeky smirk, he murmured softly: "Wake up, dear," before moving forward and covering Neku's mouth with his own.

The Kyuubi snorted sleepily, briefly blinking his eyes open, before letting them fall shut again, just letting Joshua do as he pleased for the moment.

When Joshua finally pulled away the Kitsune looked up drowsily, even as Joshua chirped with that same cheeky smirk on his face: "Good morning."

"Good…_ yaaaaaawn_… morning… oy…" the redhead grumbled, reaching up to rub the dust particles from his eyes as he slipped his headphones down to rest around his neck.

"Didn't sleep well, hm?"

"No shit, Sherlock…" Neku grumbled, running a hand through his hair.

Upon close inspection, Joshua realized that the Kitsune really did look like he hadn't slept in the slightest; he had bags under his eyes, his hair was sticking at a couple of random places (Neku's version of bed hair, probably), and his head occasionally fell down to his throat before he snapped himself out of it. "Hmmm… Sure you want to play today, then? Wouldn't want you falling asleep halfway through the mission, would we?"

"Stuff it, I'm fine…" As if to prove his point, Neku climbed back to his feet, stretching out his rusty joints with a yawn/groan, though he hissed when his back gave an audible pop. "Ouch… that stung."

Joshua merely chuckled as he rose to his feet as well, watching as Neku rubbed the back of his neck whilst he was fighting off the urge to go back to sleep. "Well, if you say so, dear."

"Quit calling me that," Neku merely grumbled, before he turned around to face the streets below. "Did they start yet?"

"Nope. Won't be long, though."

And then they fell into silence for the moment, simply waiting for the Game to begin.

"…Akataiyo…"

The moment that word left Neku's mouth, Joshua's entire body froze, in the same way that it had when he had first heard the Kyuubi's voice after so long. He recognized the word—name—of course… it was the name of the married couple who had made it to the final day and got erased by the Game Master 17 years ago…

The couple who had left their 5-year-old son behind…

"Wh… where did you hear that name…?" Joshua asked slowly.

"…Beat introduced us to him."

"…'Him'?" 'No way… it couldn't be…'

"Akataiyo Jin. He's a classmate of Beat."

If Joshua wasn't already dead, he would've probably had a heart attack right then.

"…_what do you want? …leave me alone… …I want to stay here…"_

Josh was snapped out of his thoughts—literally—as Neku snapped his fingers in the Composer's face. "Huh uh… what?"

"I take it you _do_ know the guy, huh?" Neku said plainly.

"Hm? What makes you say that?" Joshua asked, trying to get his composure back.

"Don't give me that crap, Josh. The moment I said his name you looked like you just saw a ghost," the Kyuubi said solemnly, crossing his arms over his chest. "So, how much do you actually know of him?"

"…" Joshua remained silent for a few moments, before he chuckled. "What do I know? Why, nothing. Nothing at all."

"Why don't I believe that?"

"Ah, but it's the truth, dear," Joshua chuckled out, ignoring Neku's "Don't call me that!" quip. "All I know is that his parents were killed about 17 years ago, and after that Game ended… well… he disappeared from Shibuya."

"…I see."

Obviously, Neku still didn't believe that that was all, but before he could really question it further, the 6th day began. For which Joshua was actually thankful, since he really didn't want to talk about Jin any longer.

Sure, after the Game had ended, Joshua had felt sorry for the boy at some point, but since he had been taken away from Shibuya, there wasn't much he could do about him, and even before that, there was almost nothing he could've done for the traumatized boy. Yes, he had, in fact, been heavily traumatized (actually, who wouldn't be?) to the point where people believed he had lost the ability to speak. Joshua had attempted to nudge some life back into him after the Game, but he hadn't had much luck. And besides, there was a limit to how much he was allowed to interfere with the living.

"…you decided yet?" Neku asked suddenly, startling Joshua back to the present.

"Hmm… let's see… I'll place my bet on the young couple there," the Composer said with a small smile. "Who do you pick?"

"…No one."

At those words, Joshua looked over to Neku in confusion, before he covered the expression with natural curiosity. "Oh? And, may I ask, why?"

"…No one will make it past today. This Game will end today."

The hint of finality in Neku's voice made Joshua bite his lip. There was something about the way Neku had said that that Joshua couldn't help but worry. Plus, there was something in his eyes as well, but Joshua couldn't be sure what it was…

But he knew for a fact that he didn't like it…

* * *

><p>"…looks like rain…" a certain brunette murmured as he gazed up to the heavens, watching the dark gray clouds begin to roll in. Jin watched the heavens for a moment longer, before he turned his attention back to the streets before him. Or more exactly, the numerous pairs running back and forth between the pedestrians, rushing without being really seen by anyone.<p>

Why they were running, he didn't know, nor did he really care, but he knew for a fact that their running would do them no good. Rushing would only lead to mistakes, and mistakes lead to death…

When he looked around once more, he realized he had lost track of one pair that had been running about, meaning they had either run inside or had run to a different area in Shibuya.

"…whatever… so noisy…" he mumbled, putting a pair of earplugs in his ear and flipping on the mp3 player he carried in his pocket. "Rush like that… and you'll all die…"

With that said, Jin turned around and began leisurely jogging away from the Scramble, heading further into Shibuya, never realizing how the people he had been watching were erased from existence. After all, it was none of his concern…

* * *

><p>"…no way…"<p>

That's what Joshua wanted to say, but his voice didn't come out. Neku didn't even bother to say anything, still leaning forward on the railing as he watched the streets below. Watching nothing in particular, since there was no Game to watch any longer.

"_This Game will end today."_

"…how did you know?" Joshua asked slowly. "How did you know it would end today?"

"…Saa…"

That was all he said. He didn't even look up to Joshua as the question was asked. Hell, he didn't even seem to care about the fact that he had just won their little gamble. Or at least, he didn't show it.

After a long moment of silence, Joshua let out a small exasperated sigh to hide his fear. "…You win."

"I know…"

The silverette couldn't help but frown at the lack of visual response from the Kyuubi. Not even a smirk or a chuckle, which was rather unusual in itself if the fox was feeling pleased with himself.

"Hm… no victory cheer, dear?" he joked teasingly.

"Not now, arrite?"

Okay, _now_ Joshua was certain that something was not right. Neku _always_ demanded of Joshua to not call him "dear" and this time the redhead didn't bat an eye at it.

"…Alright, Neku, what's going on? You've been acting out of your usual cheery character all day. So who died and got you all depressed, hm?" Joshua wasn't sure why he was even asking the Kitsune these questions, but it was just so unusual for Neku to act this way that it was starting to scare him.

In response, Neku sighed and pushed off from the railing to face Joshua properly. However, his eyes were half shut, still, like he was about to fall asleep on his feet. "Nothing's 'wrong', Josh. I'm fi… fine…"

Joshua had a split second to react as Neku swayed on his feet and then tipped over. The silver-haired Composer gave a startled yelp when he realized the Kyuubi was—in fact—heavier than he looked, and the redhead's weight sent them both to the ground.

"Ugh… ow… dammit, Neku… this is _not _what I'd call 'fine'! Get up, you idiot! You're heavy!" he snarled out, reaching his hands around to grip the back of Neku's jacket to pull him off…

_**Squelch**_

…and froze when his palms came into contact with the soaked material of the redhead's clothes.

Slowly, he raised his right hand and looked at it.

"…blood…?"

The deep red liquid that covered his palm and dribbled down his wrist along his arm was, without a doubt, blood. He recognized the thickness of the liquid all too well, even though it was something he had wanted to forget a long time ago.

Shaking the thought away, Joshua crawled out from under Neku—who had lost consciousness a little while ago—and hitched up the back of the redhead's jacket and shirt. And what he saw caused Joshua to utter a phrase he had never said before in his whole life;

"Holy shit…"

* * *

><p>Dragging Neku to his apartment had been a little difficult until Joshua remembered he could just teleport them both there (which he did a few seconds after he did). Getting Neku out of the clothes he was wearing was a little harder, however. The blood had begun to clot and was making it exceedingly difficult to pry the clothes away without ripping either them or the skin they had clotted to.<p>

Why he was even bothering, he wasn't fully sure. However, he couldn't stop himself and he just did what he had to.

Neku's back was almost entirely ripped open, and though it appeared to be gradually healing (much faster than should be possible), the loss of blood was still something to be weary of.

'Why hadn't I noticed from the start that Neku had been wearing normal black clothes instead of his traditional purple or blue J&M clothes? I really have to pay better attention…'

After carefully cleaning the fox's back and wrapping up the man's back with some bandages that the redhead had lying around, Joshua allowed himself a small sigh, though he himself wasn't sure if it was from relief or exasperation. After sitting down at the desk Neku had set up in the room, Joshua looked over to the Kyuubi silently. He'd lain him down on his stomach, so as not to aggravate his back, and the fox had not moved on his own after that, and in a way, Joshua was glad for that.

'At least now I won't have to keep him "busy"…' he thought absently to himself, leaning his head on his hand. However, soon his thoughts turned a little more worried as he looked at the darkened bandages on Neku's back. 'But where in heavens' name did he get such a wound? If there was something that could do this amount of damage to a Ninetailed Fox inside of Shibuya, then surely, I would know, right?'

Of course, the one person who could answer that question for him was knocked out cold.

"Ooh well. Nothing to do about it now. I should head back and oversee the results of the Game, anyway."

Getting up, Joshua cast one more look at Neku, before he walked for the doorway.

But just before he could place his hand on the doorknob, a familiar pain in his left wrist made him freeze in his tracks. And as he felt his powers as Composer slip from his grasp, he gulped, already knowing what had happened without turning around.

Neku was awake.

"Were you going somewhere… _Yo~shi~ya_?"

The words were uttered quietly – right in the Composer's ear.

Neku's presence had shifted from the bed to right behind him within the time it had taken Joshua to reach that conclusion. He didn't dare to move, unsure of what the fox was planning. Well, he had a basic idea, but that wasn't saying much.

"I… I was just going to… to…"

But before he could finish what he was about to say, the Kyuubi's hand came up and covered his eyes. "There's no need to concern yourself about the UG for now."

"But… but the Game is…!"

"Over. And it will still be over tomorrow," Neku said solemnly, his other hand coming to rest on Joshua's hipbone, his sharpening nails sliding over the material of his shirt. "There's no need for you to rush. So… you're not going anywhere… _do you understand?_"

Joshua gulped slightly at the snarl in Neku's voice, but dropped his hand from where it had been reaching for the doorknob anyway, knowing what would most likely happen if he didn't. "Ye…yes… Neku-sama…"

He could feel Neku smirking against his neck, even if he didn't see him. "Good boy."

* * *

><p>"Hm? Oh. Yo, Boss. Got the news?" Hanekoma asked of the silver-haired youth walking into the cafe.<p>

"Yes. It's unfortunate, but nothing to do about it now, I'm afraid," said the silverette with a soft sigh. "Well, we may as well finish up, ne?"

"Sure thing, Boss."

* * *

><p>"Ow…!" Joshua hissed trying to move away, but Neku wordlessly kept him in place. "Ne-Neku-sama… please… n-not so… t-tight…!"<p>

The Kyuubi gave a long, exasperated sigh, but he did loosen the ropes around the boy's midsection slightly. "Fine, fine… suppose we wouldn't want you to run out of air, would we?"

"Ah… th-thank you… Neku-sama…"

Joshua bit his lip as Neku continued winding the rope around the silverette's body, effectively tying him up with his arms behind his back. When Neku had pulled out a blindfold from his "stash", Joshua had already feared where tonight was going (even if it was only afternoon, still), and the fact that Neku had also pulled out a rope only made him dread what was coming all the more.

When Neku was finished, finally, his arms were secured behind his back, hands tied to his elbows, and his legs folded up keeping him in a kneeling position even if he was to lay down on his back. The rest of the rope was wound around his midsection in a net-like fashion, making it slightly harder for him to breathe properly.

Neku chuckled softly and reached out to touch Joshua's cheek, long nails running over the sharp cheekbones. "Well, looks like you're ready, so… let's get started, ne?"

Joshua whimpered, but he nodded anyway, glad that he couldn't see what kind of expression had to be on the fox's face. He hissed when Neku's long nails ran over his chest, before his fingers followed. Joshua tried not to make a sound throughout it all, but when Neku flicked his thumbs over his nipples, he couldn't stop the quiet moan that rumbled in his throat. Unfortunately, with that one sound, Joshua found himself unable to stop his moans and whimpers when the fox continue flicking them before rolling the hardened nubs between his fingers.

Neku gave a small chuckle, watching the Composer squirm uncomfortably, his breath coming in short gasps. With a small smirk on his face, Neku dipped his head down and licked across Joshua's left nipple, making the silverette cry out in surprise. Of course, Neku didn't stop at just that and ran his long tongue along the nub a few more times before enveloping it with his mouth.

This caused the pale boy to cry out in surprise/pleasure, his back curling toward the Kitsune. And Neku merely chuckled as he began to suckle on the nub, eliciting a pleased whine from Joshua's throat.

As he continued his ministrations, though, one of the Kyuubi's tails began to rummage under the bed. Once it had found what Neku had been looking for, it moved over and dropped the item by the Kitsune's side. Neku smirked icily, giving one last suckle on the nub before pulling away. "Hmm… you like that, don't you?"

"Hah… ah… y… yes… Ne-Neku-sama…" the boy whimpered out, before whining as Neku twisted the right nub between his finger.

"Heh. Good… in that case…"

The Kyuubi didn't even finish the statement as he picked up the nipple clamps he'd grabbed. Wordlessly, he brought one end up and clamped it shut on Joshua's left nipple. In response, Joshua let out a yowl of pain, but he wasn't allowed to say anything about it–or at least, he wasn't fast enough–before Neku attached the second one to the other nipple.

"Ah… ah! Ne-Neku-sa… _maah!_ It-it hurts…! Ple-please take them o–"

"No," Neku said solemnly, a small smirk on his face as he moved some of Joshua's hair out of his eyes (not that it helped with him being blindfolded. "I rather like you looking like this." Allowing a chuckle, Neku ran his fingertips along the ropes and down Joshua's chest. "And your body says you like it, too."

Joshua wanted to object, but when Neku fingers ran along his erect cock, he let out a sharp gasp, his hips immediately trying to buck up into the Kyuubi's touch. Of course, this made the fox in question laugh.

"See? You're having as much fun with this as I am," Neku chuckled out, the fingers of his free hand moving along the thin chain connecting the two clamps. And then, without warning, he hooked his fingers under it and snapped his hand up.

"_Aaaah!_" Joshua wailed as the pull on the chain effectively pulled him up a few inches off the bed and also sent of wave of pain through his body. "Please stop! I-it hurts!"

But Neku didn't stop. He merely smirked icily as he kept the boy up by using nothing but the chain, listening to Joshua's pitiful whines and half sobs as his body trembled.

Finally, though Neku relented and let the chain drop from his fingers, letting Joshua flop back down, though he kept him in a kneeling position regardless. Joshua gasped for breath, an occasional whimper coming from him as he struggled to get himself back under control. Which was a lost cause when Neku moved forward and connected their mouths together, a deep rumbling moan coming from the Kyuubi as he forced his tongue inside Joshua's moist cavern. And when Neku also began to pump his erection, Joshua couldn't stay silent any longer and moaned loudly into the fox's mouth.

But before Joshua could start to kiss back, Neku had already pulled away and was pushing Joshua back. The silverette gasped when he landed on his back on the bed, his legs being pushed up as well, forced apart as far as they would go. Josh felt his face flush as he realized he was completely exposed to the Kyuubi, but that thought was lost when Neku grabbed onto the chain of the nipple clamps with one of his tails and pulled straight upward sharply, drawing a pained cry from Joshua's throat.

"A-aaahh! Ne-Neku-sa… _maaahh!_" he wailed, struggling not to cry from the intense pain rushing through his body. "Please…! I-it hurts! Please st-stop! _Aaah!_"

The Kitsune only smirked as he kept pulling on the chain, while at the same time lapping at the tip of Joshua's cock, drawing a moan from the boy that was both pained and pleasured. The redhead chuckled softly, before he moved forward and took the head into his mouth, licking and sucking even as he searched for something from his stash with another one of his tails.

Joshua was, by then, panting and whimpering, his back lifted only an inch from the mattress. The combination of pain and pleasure was driving the Composer crazy and the redhead was clearly not about to stop anytime soon, given the fact that Neku took all of Joshua's length into his mouth in one go, drawing a scream from the silverette. He wanted to beg for Neku to both stop and continue at the same time, something that should never be possible for someone to want, and yet here he was, wanting to do exactly that.

Just as Joshua was sure he couldn't take anymore, Neku's tail dropped the chain and the Kitsune moved away, releasing Joshua with an audible pop. It was a good thing that Joshua was blindfolded, since the grin on Neku's face would've started to make him panic.

Without uttering a word, he moved over Joshua's body and locked their mouths together again even as his tails moved in. Two tails curled around the boy's legs, keeping them spread apart, while two others moved in with the item he had pulled out earlier. Neku was wise enough to keep Joshua's face close with one hand, as his tail secured the clamp around Joshua's balls, _tightly_, since the Composer howled out even with his mouth being preoccupied, making Neku smirk coldly against him. Naturally, Joshua tried to move away, but Neku didn't allow him (not that Josh really could) and kept him in place, his free hand tugging on the chain again.

Unable to do a thing, Joshua could only whimper as Neku's tails kept moving, one of them pumping his cock while the other worked with the other end of the ball clamp. And Joshua screamed into Neku's mouth as the plug was forced into his entrance without so much as a warning or any preparation at all.

Once Joshua' screams had dissipated, Neku finally pulled away, briefly licking Joshua's lips one more time before he chuckled. "Heheh… do you have _any_ idea how damn _hot _you look?" he murmured into Joshua's ear, running his hand through the boy's hair as he flushed crimson. "I'll bet if people knew what kind of faces you make when you're like _this_… people would be lining up to fuck you silly."

'I-I didn't need to know that…' But despite his own thoughts, Joshua gulped, feeling as though his whole body was on fire from his embarrassment.

"However… you and I both know that they can't have you… ne?" Neku murmured, but his voice bordered on a possessive snarl.

'Saw that one coming…'

Steeling his nerves, Joshua opened his mouth in response and choked out: "Ye… yes… Neku-sama…"

"And _why_ is that?"

"Be-because I… I be… I belong to you, Neku-sama… o-only you…"

Neku smirked icily, one of his tails moving to the plug lodged into Joshua's ass. "That's right… and don't you forget," he chuckled out – right before his tail flicked the small switch on the anal plug/vibrator.

Joshua immediately screamed in both surprise and ecstasy as the toy's vibrations shot up his nerves along his spinal cord, causing his entire body to tremble. "A-aah! N-Nek-kuuu-sa-samaaaaah! Oh _god! Ahh! _Oh my god… hah… hah…!"

"Say it, Yoshiya!" Neku demanded, reaching for the toy and twisting it around in search of Joshua's prostate. "Who do you belong to?"

"I-I-I-I be-bel–_ngh!_–b-belong t-to… hah hah… I belong to–" The Composer couldn't finish, for just then, Neku found what he was looking for, making the silverette yowl and arch his back up in response. "_Oh god!_ Aaah! N-Neku-s-sam_aaaaah!_"

"Who do you belong to, Composer?" Neku repeated with a snarl as he upped the vibrations a notch, even though he was grinning madly at the silverette (not that he could tell).

"You! You, only you, Ne-Neku-_samaaah_! Ah… hah… please…! Please no more! I-I beg of you…! Please let me… _nrgh!_ Please let me c-come…! Please!"

Neku had to resist the urge to laugh at the silverette's pleas. Sitting back on his haunches, he grabbed the chain and pulled, _hard_, forcing Joshua back up to his knees and drawing a wailing cry from the boy in question.

"No. Not yet," Neku murmured huskily into his ear. "You have yet to earn it, Yoshiya. So get to it."

Joshua needed no further explanation and he nodded shakily, gulping once more before he forced his trembling body to move, latching his lips onto Neku's throat. This allowed him to blindly determine where he had to go, and he slowly, carefully began to trail downward, whimpering and panting, since Neku had not shut the vibrator off yet. So the Composer steeled himself and moved ever downward, his tongue lapping at the Kyuubi's skin sensually, suppressing a moan of appreciation at the subtle taste assaulting his mouth that (he knew) was solely Neku's. It wasn't bitter, but it wasn't sweet or spicy, either. He couldn't pin a flavor to it; it was just Neku.

When his chin bumped against Neku's length, he almost, _almost_, pulled back. Thankfully he stopped himself from doing so and instead angled his face down, letting his tongue smooth over the head, before he lowered his head and wrapped his lips around the Kyuubi's need. Taking a deep breath through his nose, Joshua relaxed his throat and then took in every inch of the fox, taking great pleasure in hearing Neku suck in a breath through his teeth. Once he was sure he wasn't going to throw up, Josh raised his head again, lapping at the sensitive skin and humming in appreciation when Neku's hand tangled in his hair.

"Mmm… yeah, just like that…" Neku purred softly, and Joshua couldn't help but moan at the sound. For reasons unknown to even the Composer, he wanted to hear that again, so he started humming from the back of his throat. The vibrations that caused resulted in a loud, satisfied purr rumbling from the Kyuubi. "Yes… _yesss_… right there… Mmm-_aahh_…"

If Joshua had been in any other situation than he was currently in, then he would've been flashing his usual, arrogant smirk. But since he could not move his lips in that manner right now with his mouthful–let alone that his mind was on overload from all of Neku's 'torture'–he settled for a small, satisfied moan, bobbing his head up and down in a steady rhythm.

Neku hissed slightly, his tails twitching and flailing behind him as he bit his lip in a feeble attempt to keep himself under wraps. Of course, he wouldn't be who he was if he didn't retaliate in one way or another. So, with a smirk playing on his face, one of his tails moved around and began pumping Joshua's own cock, making the boy cry out in surprise, before he let out a deep moan. And the fox only chuckled as Joshua's whole body trembled, desperate to reach that pinnacle that was being denied of him.

"Hah… hah… you… really are… a piece of work… ne?" he chuckled out, running his long fingers through Joshua's hair. "You say you hate this… but look how _eager_ you are now…" Joshua whimpered pathetically at those words, even as Neku's other hand joined the first in his hair. "Now… _swallow_."

Joshua nodded quickly, before he moved back slightly and opened his mouth as far as it would go, suppressing a cough as the (by now familiar) bitter liquid spilled in his mouth. The first time, he had almost felt like throwing up, but the fluid had become almost like an ambrosia to him after the next few times, even though he'd never admit it out loud, even to himself.

Once he was sure he'd gotten everything, he moved back, panting for breath before he was pulled up by the chain again, making him whine painfully – which was cut off by Neku's mouth clashing with his own. Moaning in appreciation, Joshua let the redhead dominate his mouth with only his tongue, occasionally letting his own tongue play, though he was unable to best Neku.

It was also around that point that Joshua became aware of the vibrator that was still buzzing wildly against his prostate, causing him to wriggle uncomfortably in his spot and to moan very loudly into Neku's mouth. Of course, that made the Kyuubi chuckle as he pulled away.

"Good boy, Yoshiya…" he murmured softly, moving his hand along Joshua's bound thigh. "So… let's wrap this up, ne?"

Joshua didn't have the time (nor the logically functioning brain cells) to answer the question, as he was turned around and the vibrator was removed, eliciting a gasp from the silverette, followed by a moan of pleasure as Neku penetrated him in the next instant.

"Ah… ah… Ne… ku… s-sam… _aaahh_…! Please… please… f… fuck me… please…"

Neku allowed a cold smirk, placing his hands on Joshua's hips. "Heheh. Don't mind if I do…" he murmured, lifting Joshua up and then slamming him back down, making the boy cry out. "Hahah… just like that. I want to hear you _scream!_" Neku laughed, as one of his tails wrapped around the chain. The silver-haired Composer had no time to respond as he was pulled up by the chain, drawing a choked cry from his throat, shortly followed by another as he was then pulled down again by his hips.

"Oh go–_AH!_ Ah… hah… _aaaaah!_ N-Nek-kuuuu-sa-sama_aaaaaah!_" Shibuya's Composer wailed, no longer caring that he was almost delirious from the pain and pleasure that was making his whole body thrum and tremble. It didn't matter right then; all that mattered was his body pleading for the release it sought so badly yet wasn't allowed to have.

And Neku merely laughed as he kept pulling Joshua up and then down over and over and over again. Moving over, he murmured softly, a purr underlining his voice: "Tell me, Composer… who do you belong to?"

"I… I… I belong to–_naggh!_ I-I belong t-to…! To y–_aaaaahhh!_ To you, Ne-Neku-s-sam-_maaaAAH!_"

"Louder!"

I-I belong to–_ggh!_ To you, Neku-sa-samaaaa!"

"_LOUDER!_"

"Ah! I-I-I-I belong…! Urgh! _I BELONG TO YOU, NEKU-SAMA!_"

Neku allowed a small smirk, before he pulled Joshua up against him. "That's right… and don't you ever forget. Now… _come for me, Yoshiya_."

And, just like every other time the order was spoken, Joshua gave an almost ear splitting scream as he climaxed, his body tensing to the point where he feared he'd rip a muscle. He could feel the redhead's own red hot release coating his insides, before he slumped back against the Kyuubi entirely, gasping and panting for breath.

The fox's own, heavy breathing was hot and tickled his skin when he exhaled over Joshua's already heated skin. Neku lowered his lips to Joshua's throat and lightly nipped on the skin there with his teeth, his tongue skittering over the skin. The touch was so soft, so gentle, that Joshua almost dozed off – but then Neku gasped and snapped his head away.

"Shit…!" Neku hissed, so softly that Joshua would've missed it if his hearing hadn't enhanced itself automatically when his sight had been taken from him. "Too… close…"

Joshua frowned wearily. 'Close…? Close to what?' "…Ne… ku…?"

He could actually feel Neku tensing for a split second, before the fox shook his head. "Nothing, Josh. Nothing," he said, and reached up, fingering the blindfold for a moment and allowing it to fall off.

The silver-haired Composer blinked several times, though there wasn't that much improvement, given the darkness of the room. Sure, there were candlesticks standing all over the place, but those hardly provided them with much light. As Joshua was getting used to having his sight again, Neku moved away and began to work on the knots keeping the ageless boy bound and when the last ropes fell away, he almost immediately flopped forward on the bed.

And Neku—bastard—merely chuckled and moved over to rest beside him, pulling him up against his own body.

He did that sometimes; not always, but sometimes. Joshua wasn't sure what triggered these moments, but they were (much to Joshua's chagrin) nice. For some reason, he always felt… safe in the fox's arms when they weren't doing anything. When they were like this… Joshua felt really… well, it wasn't a feeling he could describe. It was familiar, he knew, but, for the life of him, he couldn't remember from where.

One of the fox's hands was on his stomach, the other on his collarbone, keeping him in place lightly, and that was fine. Joshua took a deep breath and let it out slowly, letting his eyes fall shut again. You'd think that, after all that time in the dark, he'd be hesitant to fall asleep, but no.

In fact… Josh was feeling particularly tired that specific moment.

So, he gave a small, almost imperceptible yawn, and began to doze off, barely noticing when Neku's tails came up to wrap around like a large, furry blanket. He wasn't complaining; Neku's fur was surprisingly soft and _soooooo_ warm when you were wrapped up in more than 4 tails at the same time, like he was right then.

As the darkness came to claim him, Joshua didn't even feel the soft kiss planted on his temple.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Right.**** Starting next stage, there's going to be some "complications". Don't have much else to say right now.**


	5. Stage 5 The Questions

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 5 - The Questions<strong>_

"Well, that's all of that wrapped up," Hanekoma said calmly, clapping some dust off his hands.

The silver-haired youth sighed softly, but he had a small smirk on his face. "So it is. I need a small break, though. I'll be around Shibuya for a while."

"Sure thing, Boss."

After exchanging a wave with the barista, the copycat walked away from WildKat café and over to the other side of Shibuya. That took a while in itself, but when he was almost at his destination, a hand clasped onto his shoulder, making him look back in surprise, before he smiled cheekily.

"Oh. Why hello there, dear."

"You pick up some strange habits imitating that guy," said the redhead he had just greeted. "So, how'd it go?"

"Oh, just fine, thank you very much," said the silverette as he twirled his hair, still smiling. "And how did you do, Ichi?"

"Well enough. You're lucky you don't have to sit through school. Such. A. Pain…" said the redhead with a sigh. "Shall we go up?"

"Of course," the other young man said with a calm chuckle, and they headed for the elevator together. "So… I take it Master is out?"

"At least for the rest of the day, yes. Possibly also the rest of the night."

"Oooh." The redhead pressed the elevator button and stepped back to wait. As he did, the silver-haired youth behind him stepped up and murmured huskily into his ear: "So what are _we _doing tonight?"

"Not tonight, Hachi," the redhead sighed in slight annoyance. "I have to finish the homework we were given before tomorrow."

"Aww… you can do that after, right?"

"With your insatiability, no." They stepped into the elevator as its doors opened. "I'm surprised that that's how _he_ really is, though…"

"Hmhmm… well, that's you get for being denied sex for so long," giggled the silver-haired youth, twirling a lock of hair around his finger as the redhead pressed the button for the proper floor.

"If he could be like that around Master, too, then maybe there was no need to force it."

"Oh, I don't know…" Once the doors closed, the silverhead was suddenly pressed up right against the redhead. "I rather _like_ when you force me to submit like that…"

"Hachi, get off of me," the redhead groaned as the other boy pressed himself firmly against him.

"Why don't you go ahead and _make_ me?"

"Don't tempt me. You know you'll regret it."

"No, I wouldn't, _dear_."

"Don't call me that!"

"_Make me._"

"…Oh that's _IT!_"

Ichi snagged Hachi's hands, threw all his weight forward into a spin and forced the silver-haired copy into the railing, and then crushed their mouths together. They pulled away when the elevator reached the proper floor, but only for Ichi to say: "Just so you know… if I'm unable to finish Master's homework, I'm pinning all the blame on you and I'll make sure you won't be able to come for a _week_!"

Hachi whimpered as Ichi pushed up a knee into his crotch. "Hmmm… aaah… point… taken…"

Ichi then grabbed Hachi by his collar and dragged him out of the elevator before the doors could close again and, once they were outside, picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. The silver-haired lookalike gasped as he grasped at Ichi's shirt, resisting the urge to whimper as each rise and fall from the redhead's steps caused his hardening cock to rub against the taller man.

"Hihi… and you call _me_ impatient…" Hachi giggled out, before he yelped as Ichi smacked him on his ass.

"Shut up or I'll gag you, tie you up and leave you all night with a damn vibrator up your ass and a ring on your cock," Ichi threatened, and Hachi couldn't stop the moan that rumbled from his throat at the mental image.

"Mmmm… well, why not, _dear_?" he chirped with a small, unseen smirk on his face.

"…Don't say I didn't warn you," Ichi said darkly, though he, too, had a highly amused smirk on his face as he opened the door to the apartment and walked inside, closing and locking it behind him before he let Hachi down again.

The silverhead wasn't given the chance to say anything else, as Ichi immediately shoved him against the wall and interlocked their mouths once more. Hachi whimpered as Ichi's impossibly long tongue found its way inside and swirled around and round as the heavy schoolbag was dropped by their feet to be forgotten and hands began tugging and ripping at the obstructing articles of clothing. As Ichi's knee came up and rubbed against Hachi's fully erect cock, Hachi let out a mewling sound as his body shivered.

'…?' Hachi blinked in confusion, but before he could say anything, Ichi had already ripped himself away, stopped moving and looked to the side, a deep frown on his face as his blue eyes lost their color and turned white as the pupils became slitted. Clearly, the redhead had felt it as well; a cold wind brewing in the room.

"…did you leave the window open?" Hachi asked slowly, though not in his usual smart-aleck tone.

"…no…" Ichi murmured, and slowly, the pair moved further into the room.

The room was exactly as Ichi had left it that morning, with the exception of the open window. Nothing had been disturbed in the slightest to hint at an intruder having made his way into the small apartment. Ichi sniffed at the air and frowned. "Do you smell that?"

"Yes… Master's blood… he must have aggravated his wounds too much…" Hachi whispered back. "But I cannot sense anyone else here… whoever was here, they seem to have already left."

Ichi frowned as he walked to the window. He looked out, taking careful note of anything out of place, before stepping back and closing the window again. "Hachi, is anything out of place inside?"

"Nothing that I can see so far… …no, wait…" Hachi frowned and picked up some kind of short blade that had been laying on the floor by the door to the bedroom. "…this almost looks likes Master's ceremonial dagger, does it not?"

Ichi froze for a moment, before he walked over and took the blade from Hachi.

"…shit!" he hissed suddenly. "This… is bad… Hachi, take this to Master."

"Ichi…?"

"Kamui… Kamui is here."

"…! A-alright."

* * *

><p>Joshua wasn't sure what it was that woke him, but when he did find himself to be conscious, he really wasn't ready to wake up just yet, so he kept quiet and pretended to still be asleep. Which was probably a good thing as he felt the Ninetails coiled up against his back shifting to sit up, his tails moving across his skin just slightly, almost—<em>almost<em>—making him shiver.

"Why are you here, Hachi?" Neku asked suddenly, and Joshua had to suppress a confused frown. He hadn't noticed anyone else coming into the room at all. He'd assumed it was just himself and Neku…

"_**I apologize, Master,**_" said a voice that sounded—strangely—familiar to Joshua somehow… "_**Ichi has sent me… to give you this.**_"

Neku actually tensed just then—his hand had been resting on Joshua's shoulder, so he could tell—and he said, almost icily: "Is that… Give it to me."

Something moved closer, but Joshua couldn't feel a presence, still; only heard the other person moving forward. He couldn't even hear the other person's "Music", but maybe that was because his powers had still been drained from him… but he should've still been able to sense another person's presence, especially this close, right?

"…So he's finally decided to show his face, huh?" Neku murmured, but his voice was almost like a snarl.

"_**It appears so… He has already been at your apartment while we were not there, and we believe he may return soon… What do you wish us to do?**_"

"…Nothing. Hachi, go back to Ichi and wait for me. I'll deal with Kamui myself once I'm done here."

"_**As you wish, Master.**_"

"And Hachi."

"_**Yes, Master?**_"

"Don't unnecessarily keep Ichi from his work. At least wait until he's done."

"…_**Yes, of course, Master.**_"

Silence followed that statement, and it took about five minutes before Neku let out what sounded like an aggravated sigh and he dropped himself back down on the bed again. Joshua believed it was safe to assume that Neku was not in a good mood, so he just pretended to be asleep for a little longer, not too eager to be on the receiving end of the Kitsune's wrath.

"…How much longer are you going to feign sleep, Josh?"

'…so much for that…'

Joshua sighed softly and opened one eye, looking up to the Kitsune who had rested his chin on the silverette's shoulder to look down at him. Something was off about Neku, he knew that right away, but whatever it was, he wasn't sure; he was still too tired to really determine that much. Obviously, the fox had known for a while that Joshua was already awake, though, so he decided to ignore that obvious question and instead asked something that was a little more pressing.

"Who was here just now?"

"…No one important, really…" Neku sighed out, shutting his eyes for the time being. He seemed quite content where he was, letting his head turn until his cheek was resting upon the Composer's bare shoulder.

"Oh…"

Joshua was a little surprised at his own lack of comeback, but then again, he was still in the midst of waking up. Without another word, Joshua rested his head back down and shut his eye for a moment longer. However, when Neku's fingers played through his bangs and fluttered across his forehead, he gave a small groan, cracking his eyes open again.

"Neku… I'm trying to get some more sleep, thank you very much…"

"Hmm… you slept long enough," was the fox's solemn response as he tangled his fingers in Joshua's hair. "Besides… you're starting to smell, to be honest…"

"Hey now, that's just rude, dear."

"Don't call me that. And blame my nose for that. C'mon."

Joshua wasn't allowed to object, as the Kyuubi stood up and looped his tails around the Composer, easily lifting him off the bed and making the boy gasp and grasp onto one of the fox's tails as though he was going to fall any second.

"N-Neku! I can walk fine on my own, put me do–"

But before Joshua could finish, he was neatly deposited in the Kitsune's arms, who immediately wrapped some sort of black cloth around him and wordlessly began to walk. The Composer could feel his face flush at the realization that the fox was carrying him bridal style and immediately started struggling.

"N-Neku! Put me down right now or I'll–"

"You don't even have your powers right now," the fox pointed out. "What makes you think you can do anything? Besides, you can't walk through the portal anyway."

"…portal? What portal?" Joshua asked, genuinely confused. Just _where_ were they going?

"This one," Neku said simply, just as an ice-cold shudder ripped through Joshua, making him shut his eyes and curl up instinctively. "…You can look now, we're already through."

When Joshua opened his eyes again, he had to squint against the sudden brightness of the room, but when he got used to it, he just stared.

"This place is…"

Neku didn't offer any kind of confirmation or denial as he walked further in. The room they were in wasn't even a room, technically. It was more of an outdoor garden filled with cherry red sakura trees, the biggest one reaching at least a good ten to twenty feet, if not even more than that, and below its roots rested a large spring, and judging from the vapor coming off it, it was a hot spring as well. It was the same place where Neku had brought him after that first time. If he'd been here any other time after that, then Joshua didn't remember it.

"…why are we here?" he asked after a moment.

"Make an educated guess," Neku chuckled out, finally setting Joshua down on his feet by the edge of the spring.

Joshua cast an irritated glance over at Neku, before he sighed theatrically. "Fine, if you say so…" he mumbled, referring to when Neku had pointed out not too politely that he smelled.

Quietly, Joshua stepped forward and crouched down, testing the water with the inside of his wrist. Once he was certain it wouldn't burn him on contact, he slipped into the water, fighting the urge to moan at the feeling of his muscles relaxing almost immediately. The spring wasn't really too deep and sitting on his knees only brought the water around to his elbows, but that was fine, really.

He wasn't the least bit surprised as he heard Neku step into the water as well, moving over to sit behind him and placing his hands on the silverhead's shoulders. When his tails moved in, however, he jumped in surprise.

"Re-_lax_, Josh… I don't bite," Neku murmured softly in his ear, as his tails moved over Joshua's body, smelling suspiciously like some kind of soap. And as he focused for a moment, he realized he recognized it; cherry blossoms.

'So _that's_ where that smell kept coming from that time…' Joshua realized, as the scent permeated his nostrils and caused his body to visibly relax. 'Mmm… so warm…'

He couldn't help himself as he gave a small sigh of contentment and leaned back, letting Neku do as he pleased. In any other situation, he would not have been this lenient, but… this place was… _different_.

In fact, he didn't even struggle when Neku gradually lowered him into the water until his shoulders had been submerged completely, nor when the Kyuubi's hands began smoothing over the vast expanse of his skin. Though he did moan pleasantly when the redhead's hands found his awakening need, letting his head fall back on the fox's shoulder.

"Nrgh… Ne… ku…"

His eyes had fallen shut a while ago, but—really—he couldn't be bothered to care at that point. And the Kyuubi merely chuckled in amusement, using one hand to pump the Composer's cock and his other to run the pads of his fingers along his quivering entrance. He didn't say anything, just ran his fingers over it slowly, teasingly, while keeping the pace of his other hand slow and torturous.

"Ne-Neku… s-sama… p-please… I… I ne… need… _ooooohhh_!" Joshua's back arched as Neku's nails briefly slipped inside, before moving out again and continuing to play with the twitching muscle. "Please I… urgh! _Aaah! _I-in…! Inside… _please_… ah… hah… a-aaaah!"

He moaned loudly as Neku's fingers _finally_ slipped inside, twisting and turning and rubbing at the oversensitive skin. First two, and then three, and Joshua whimpered, but it wasn't enough…

"Ah… ah… Ne-Neku-sa… _maaah_…! M-more… please… please give me m-more…!"

He could feel Neku's soft chuckle against his back (as his own breathing was louder than the fox's laugh), and then he gasped when Neku's fourth finger slipped inside as well. But Joshua couldn't say anything about it before Neku pushed even further in, drawing a sharp, painful gasp from the silverette as his whole hand slipped inside up to the wrist, causing his body to tremble. And yet, despite the sharp pain from being stretched much further than should be possible, Joshua whimpered and moaned at the feeling of being so _full_.

"_Hah… hah…_ p… please… m-move… please please please…"

And Neku obliged; his hand slipped out until only the tip of his thumb could graze over the rim, and then slipped right back in, drawing a long, guttural moan from Joshua as he instinctively bucked his hips up. The movement was slow and steady, and every brush against Joshua's prostate caused stars to appear behind his closed eyelids.

He could barely breathe, but somehow, he was able to (shakily) move his hands in an attempt to find something to cling to, and he ended up grasping onto Neku's powerful arms. He whimpered as the fox let loose a loud, highly satisfied purr that echoed right in his ear, making him attempt to move back against the Kyuubi.

"Ne-Nek-_uuuu_-s-sa_aaahhh_-maahhh…! Ah… hah… s-so good… ah… ah… please… please… I… I… _ahhh!_ Oh _yesss_… yes right there… _oohhhh_…"

Neku smirked as Joshua started babbling, his entire body trembling as his moved his hand inside the smaller male agonizingly slow, his other hand equally busy with pumping the boy's cock. The look on Joshua's face was one of raw pleasure, with his mouth half opened with drool dripping down his chin, eyes opened a crack and blurred from pleasure, and breaths coming out as short gasps for air.

Joshua was beyond caring what he looked like, though; his body was screaming at him for release, but Neku's seal wouldn't allow him to, he knew. He wasn't allowed to come without the Kyuubi's permission.

But there was something else he wanted, too…

"Pl-please… _please_…! I-I…! _Ah… hah… hah…_ please, Neku-sa… _maaah!_ Please… please I… I… I want y… _guh!_ Hah… hah… I… want you… in-inside me… _please_…!"

At those words, Neku actually chuckled, but he still didn't speak as he moved forward and licked along the shell of Joshua's ear, making the boy shudder briefly. And as Neku teasingly moved his nails along the silver-haired male's prostate, he gave a pathetic wail.

"_Aaaaah!_ P-please…! I-I… I want you to… to ta-take me… to… to fill me up… with your c-cum… please… I-I beg of you…! _Please!_"

Joshua couldn't see the victorious smirk that played along Neku's face as he, _oh so slowly_, removed his hand from inside Joshua, leaving behind an emptiness that drew a whine from Joshua's throat. When Neku grabbed his wrist, however, Joshua wearily blinked his eyes open as he was pulled further upright. When his hand was brought close to his own entrance, Joshua understood what the Kyuubi was expecting and he whimpered, but he did as he was wordlessly told and settled on his knees, using two fingers to pull himself open. Slowly, he lowered himself down, moaning as he felt the fox's length prodding at the loosened muscle, slipping inside _so _easily…

Gasping and whimpering, Josh needed a little while before he was able to lift himself up and then drop back down to repeat the motion again and again. His gripped Neku's arms tightly, using them for extra leverage to raise himself, his movements gradually speeding up and becoming more and more frantic, a litany of moans and pleas spilling from his lips. He could barely hear the Kyuubi's own gasps and moans, too focused on reaching that pinnacle he so wished for.

"N-Ne… Ne-_kuuu_… s-sa… _maaah!_ Please…! Please… please I… I need… I… I…!"

Neku hissed softly as Joshua's fingers gripped around his arms tightly, almost tight enough to cut off the blood circulation, before he allowed a small smirk. Wordlessly, he pulled Joshua up against him, making the boy howl out as this new position caused Neku to strike his prostate with every thrust as the fox finally started moving on his own, drawing sharp cries from Josh as his head lolled from side to side.

Wordlessly, Neku moved his mouth to beside Joshua's ear, and whispered something so quietly, that it could just as well have been a quiet exhalation. However, it caused Joshua to tense and then gasp sharply.

"Ne-Ne-Nek-Neku-_samaaaaaahh_!" he screamed out, feeling both his own release as well as Neku's hit, the Kyuubi's cum coating his inner walls and filling him up _so_ much… "Ah… ahhh… so hot… so… g…good…" he whimpered out, before his consciousness faded once more.

* * *

><p>"…mmm… ne, Ichi?" Hachi moaned out wearily as the redhead in question pushed his knuckles into the silverette's back. "What kind of…<em>ngh<em>… person is Kamui? I've… _aahh_… never actually… met him."

It was almost 11 in the evening, and Hachi was, to put it bluntly, bushed. Ichi had made due on his threat earlier that day, leaving Hachi alone in the bedroom while he worked on the homework from hell, as Ichi called it, and he hadn't let the silver-haired copycat off the hook until about 20 minutes ago. Not that Hachi was complaining (much), but his muscles were so _sore_ that he feared he'd be unable to work for Master for at least two days. Maybe three.

Which put them in their current situation with Ichi working out the kinks in the other's muscles.

"Master didn't give you the memories of him?" Ichi murmured softly, switching back to using the palms of his hands to knead the muscles along Hachi's back, running his thumbs over the boy's spinal cord. "A little surprising…"

"Ichi, dear, I was created—_ooh, right there_—five years ago to aid Master during the Reapers' Game… There was really no need for such memories except for the basic knowledge I required."

"Touché…" Ichi said, before he pinched Hachi's ass, making him yelp. "And don't call me that."

"Hihi."

Rolling his eyes, Ichi went back to what he was doing. He took his time to respond, however.

"Kamui is… I'm not sure how to describe him properly, but he's… an old… 'friend', I suppose… of Master." Pause to work on a particularly stubborn nerve bundle, drawing a long groan from Hachi. "He's about two and a half century older than Master, and this, he believes, gives him more than enough reason to worry about Master."

"Mmmm… how is that bad?"

"He gets worried to the point where it's almost obsessive. That's what."

"Oooh… yes, I can see how that can be a—_itai!_—problem… What do you think Master will do?"

"…I don't know… but you know how much Master hates to be looked down upon… there is no way that this is going to end well."

"…I see…"

Ichi blew his bangs away, working his way back up, before he blinked curiously — which soon turned into a predatory grin.

"Your ears are showing, Hachi."

"Huh wha—" Hachi started, but he was cut off as a yip ripped itself loose from his throat when Ichi lightly bit down on the small, fox-like ear poking out from his hair. "I-Ichi… w-wait… n-not so—"

However, Ichi only chuckled as he nibbled on the tip of Hachi's silver-furred ear, making the smaller boy mewl, and even more as Ichi's hands—the nails already growing sharper—began to run over his back. "Don't start with that, Hachi…" Ichi purred into the silverette's ear. "You've been hard since the moment I began, so don't say you weren't _itching_ for me to do that."

Hachi whimpered as his eyes lost their amethyst glow and turned a pale yellow-orange in color, the pupils slitting across the iris before beginning to dilate. "I-Ic-Ich_iiiiiiaaaaahhhh!_" he wailed out as the redhead ground against his back. "Oh goddess…! Ah… ah… I… chi…!"

"Hahaha… Master's probably not going to sit still tonight, either… so why should we do otherwise, ne?" Ichi murmured, a devilish grin spreading over his face and a pair of fangs poking out over his bottom lip. "So… just lay still and take it like a good boy."

The silverette whined as Ichi's hands moved down, but he didn't object and even spread out his legs, his breathing growing heavier as his ears trembled and twitched sharply, though a small smirk played on his lips.

"A… and you say I… I'm insa… insatia-_aaaaaah!_" he howled out as Ichi moved inside him in the next instant. "Ah… hah… was… was that… necessary_yyyyyy!_"

Ichi laughed as the boy beneath him wailed and clawed at the bed sheets, gasping for breath. "Yes. Yes, that was necessary," he chuckled out, thrusting inside of the silverette once again, drawing another keening cry from him. "And I'll do it as many times as I like."

"_Ah… ah… ah…_ I-Ic-_chiiii_…" Hachi wailed out, his nails sharpening and nearly ripping through the sheets. "Ah… hah… hah… ha-harder… please… har… harder…!"

The redhead laughed breathlessly, placing one hand beside Hachi's head and gripping his hip with the other, moving harder and faster, drawing loud, desperate cries from the silverette. The shorter boy continued to cry and wail out, barely able to breathe as redhead moved in and out, over, and over, and over again.

"I-I-Ichi…! C… ca… I can't… _ah… hah…_ can't… hold on… a-any… _hah… hah… _l-longer…!"

"Heh… heheh… I know… _hah… hah…_ so why're you… _ah… _holding back?"

Hachi gasped for breath, his eyelids fluttering uncontrollably as he tried to stay on the brink for just a little longer, but Ichi's insistent thrusts striking at his prostate were nullifying all his attempts. And when Ichi nibbled on his ear again, it became absolutely impossible and he released a pleasured howl as he climaxed.

The tensing of his muscles was enough for Ichi, and the redhead let out a grunt, and released inside of Hachi, making the boy yowl as his passage was coated in Ichi's red hot cum, before he collapsed, panting for breath and his whole body trembling.

Ichi chuckled breathlessly as he pulled away, and then moved to lay beside Hachi. "Heh… you still lack concentration, Hachi."

"Sh… shut up…" the silverette grumbled, turning on his side to face the redhead, deep purple eye shadow now surrounding his eyes and a pair of fangs peeking out over his lip, and the kanji for "eight" painted on his forehead. "I blame you for that…"

"Heh…" Ichi merely smirked cheekily, laying down on his back. Hachi didn't waste time and crawled over to lay on top his chest, making the other chuckle. "You've only got yourself to blame for that," he said, reaching over and resting a hand in Hachi's hair.

"Mmm… whatever you say, dear…"

"Don't call me that, idiot…"

But Ichi's words fell on deaf ears, as Hachi had already fallen fast asleep, a pale silver fox tail swaying lightly behind him. Ichi chuckled and shook his head, grabbing the blanket from the side and tossing it over them both. As he lay there, however, he couldn't help but frown as he looked up to the ceiling.

He remained silent like that for several long moments, before he shut his eyes and allowed himself to doze off for the time being.

* * *

><p>When Joshua awoke next, it was to the feeling of a blossom landing on his cheek, making him groan and blink his eyes open wearily. Once he was able to discern features again, he realized that he was still in the cherry blossom garden. When he tried to sit up, however, he came to the realization that he was being held down by something.<p>

Or, more accurately, some_one_…

Looking down, Joshua saw that he was laying on top of Neku, who seemed to be fast asleep. The fox's arms had wrapped themselves around the Composer, keeping him in place even while the Kitsune napped.

So, after giving a heavy sigh, Joshua let his head rest on the Kyuubi's chest again.

…_do-kun… do-kun… do-kun… do-kun…_

Joshua hummed a little as he listened to Neku's heart beat, remaining still and quiet as he shut his eyes again. However, as he did, something that he had heard earlier floated back in his mind.

_I'll deal with Kamui myself._

'…Who is "Kamui"? And why did he sound so… hostile when he said that?'

After a moment more of silent contemplation, he sighed and pushed up. He just hoped he wasn't going to regret this later; he was sore enough as it was already.

"Neku… Neku, dear, wake up," Joshua cooed cheekily, rubbing his fingers along Neku's cheek.

The Kyuubi groaned before he pried one eye open. "What? Can't you just sleep for now?"

"Hihi… sorry, dear," he giggled, ignoring Neku's sleepy "Don't call me that…" and saying without a moment's delay: "I'm merely curious about who this 'Kamui' is you were talking about earlier."

That seemed to get Neku awake in a flash, as the Kitsune's eyes snapped open and lost their weariness right away as he looked up at Joshua wordlessly. After several long moments, however, the fox sighed and shut his eyes. "No one important."

"Oh? Well, you certainly made him _sound_ important earlier…"

"Shut up, Josh," was Neku's only response.

Joshua sighed a little, shaking his head. "Alright, if you won't tell me, do you mind if I _guess_?"

"…What part of 'shut up' is so difficult to understand?" Neku sighed out.

"Awww… but I'm curious, _Nekuuuu_."

"Yeah, and curiosity is what mauled the cat…"

"Killed, you mean, dear."

"Don't call me that… and you can't kill something that's already dead."

"Hmmm… true, true… _sooooo_… is Kamui a friend of yours, then?" Joshua chirped with a cheeky smirk on his face.

"Urgh… can't you just _shut up_ about that already?"

"We discussed that already, ne?" Joshua chuckled out. "Oooh… was he your… _boyfriend_ then?"

_**BONK**_

"Ita!/Argh!" Joshua and Neku howled out at roughly the same time as Neku had—rather abruptly—shot up from where he had been laying on the ground. Which resulted in them banging their foreheads together.

"Urgh… gimme a break! Me and… _Kamui_? Get real!" Neku snarled out, rubbing his forehead painfully. "That guy's so damn obsessive—not to mention damn jealous—that he'd never let me go _anywhere _on my own!"

Joshua blinked curiously from where he sat, hand over his own forehead. "Oh? So he's not a friend, then?"

"I never said—…Damn you," Neku snarled as Joshua giggled, having just realized he'd started talking about the one thing he had been trying to avoid.

"Hihi. So… who is he, then?" Joshua asked sweetly with a small smile.

The redhead snarled dangerously, before he sighed heavily and dropped back on the ground. "A damn over possessive fox-brother. Happy?"

At those words, Joshua actually arched an eyebrow. "Oh? I wasn't aware you had any siblings?"

"I don't," Neku grumbled. "Bastard just likes to think he is, that's all."

"Hmm…" Joshua remained silent for a few moments, before he moved forward to rest his chin on his arms, which rested on the Kyuubi's chest. "And you believe he's coming here?"

"Worse… he's already here."

"…what? But… then how come I didn't…"

"Don't underestimate him… that guy can mingle in any crowd and no one will notice him if he just appears out of nowhere…" Neku grumbled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Urgh… _not_ looking forward to seeing him again…"

Sensing the tension in Neku's body, Joshua gave small, exasperated sigh and reached up with one hand, placing his fingers behind one of the Kyuubi's elongated ears with every intention of scratching there as though he were a giant cat or dog — only to have his hand snagged away the moment he moved the fingers over the fox's scalp. And in the next moment, he was on his back, both hands held above his head, and a pissed Kitsune hovering above him.

"Don't… _EVER_… do that again… _do you understand?_" the fox snarled furiously, actually making the Composer gulp in worry.

'Oops…?'

"Um… s-sorry?" Joshua offered lamely with a small shrug of his shoulders (as best as he could, anyway). "I… I was just—"

But before Joshua could finish his explanation, Neku dove in and covered the Composer's mouth with his own again, forcing his tongue inside with such ferocity that it made Joshua whimper in slight worry. He could tell from the way Neku's tongue danced around in his mouth that the Kyuubi was really ticked, even if he didn't understand why. However, the last time he had managed to tick the Kyuubi off had been about three weeks ago, when he had actually dared to ignore the redhead's phone calls and texts.

Now _THAT_ had to have been _the _biggest mistake of his afterlife as of yet…

When Neku finally pulled away and began to assault his neck, throat and chest with rough kisses and bites, Joshua began to hurriedly apologize as though his (after)life depended on it.

"Ne-Neku… wait… please no…! I-I didn't mean… ah… oh _god_…! Hah… hah… n-no… N-Nek-_uuuu!_"

But the Kyuubi paid no heed to the boy's pleas, and Josh was glad that Neku wasn't even rebuking him at this point for leaving out the proper suffix (which he had completely forgotten because of his panic-ridden mind). But that didn't make the situation any easier as Neku forced open the Composer's legs with his tails and thrust in without any warning.

Both the speed and the force almost jarred Joshua's jaw and he almost bit his tongue because of it as a scream of agony drowned in his throat, resulting in a strangled sound that he could not name and tears to spring to his eyes. When Neku moved again, just as harsh and fast as before, Joshua actually let out a howl of pain, his eyes shut tightly.

After a moment of fruitless struggling, however, Joshua forced his entire body to go limp and merely lay there, his eyes shut and biting down on his lip. There was no way for him to stop Neku without any of his powers; especially when he was like this. Josh had always done everything in his power to NOT piss Neku off when he was in full Kyuubi-mode after that last time, but this time he hadn't even realized that what he had been about to do was 'bad', so it wasn't even his fault…

And yet…

"…I… I'm sor…ry…" he whispered out, doing his best still to keep still and stay limp; that seemed to keep the pain to a minimum. "I'm… sorry… I'm sorry…"

It was all he could do; apologize and pray that Neku's fury would simmer down. He could only hope…

Suddenly, the grip on his hands disappeared, and a gentle touch tilted his face up, before his mouth was covered again, ceasing his endless litany of apologies. And then a familiar jolt of pleasure shot up Joshua's spine that caused his back to arch and a moan to roll over his tongue into Neku's mouth. When Neku pulled away, finally, Joshua wailed as the fox struck that spot over and over again, driving the pain away, his hands blindly reaching out and grasping onto the other male's shoulders, digging his short nails into the skin.

"Ah… ah… Ne-Nekuuu… ah… hah… hah… _AH!_"

Joshua wasn't even sure what he had been going to say, but hell, he lost interest in his own words before he could properly articulate them. He just clung to the fox above him for dear life as he thrust inside over and over again, his breath fast and unsteady. He could already feel his own release building fast, despite this being the third time today, and he wailed, feeling his body start to tense.

"Ne… Nek… _uuuuuu_… I… I can't… ah… hah…"

But Neku said nothing and merely reached down with one hand to pump the boy's neglected need, drawing a long, desperate moan from Joshua.

"Ah… hah… Ne… Neku… please… more… please give me… m-more… _aaaahhh_…!"

He could hear Neku's chuckle from somewhere by his ear, and then one of his legs was raised and placed over the redhead's shoulder, but Neku never ceased moving and this new angle made Joshua yowl out.

"_Ah… ah… hah… hah…_ Ne-Neku_uuuuu!_ P-please I… I… I-I…!" Joshua gasped out, but just then, Neku whispered something under his breath and he felt his entire body tensing, "AH! _N-NEKUUUUUU!_"

* * *

><p>Joshua gasped for breath as the redhead had moved away from him again. He didn't dare to open his *eyes just yet, not sure if the fox's rage had settled entirely just yet, but not wanting to take the chance either way.<p>

Just then, though, there was a gentle touch on his temple.

Blinking wearily, Joshua looked up at the fox as the fox lay down beside him wordlessly. For a long time, they didn't speak, but Joshua wasn't expecting him to, so he just shut his eyes again and figured he should get some rest.

That is, until…

"…Sorry, Josh…" Joshua's eyes snapped open in surprise, but Neku had rested his head in the Composer's shoulder, hiding his face from view. "I just really _hate_ when people do that… so… sorry…"

'Ah… that explains it…'

"It… it's okay…" Joshua murmured softly. "Just… never mind… it's fine…"

With a small sigh, he shut his eyes again and moved closer to Neku to get some rest. And that seemed fine with the Kyuubi, as a number of his tails wrapped themselves around the smaller male.

But before he could doze off entirely, Neku's ears twitched against his face and the Kitsune snapped upright almost immediately.

"Hm…? Neku? What's…?"

"…looks like he couldn't wait…" Neku snarled softly, holding out his hand above Joshua, a pale silver glow coming from his palm. Surprisingly, this caused Joshua's normal clothes to materialize on him, as at the same time, Neku's black and silver kimono covered the Kyuubi's body.

"Huh…? Am I missing some—"

"Just stay here, sit still and be quiet," Neku hissed as he stood up, turning around.

Before Joshua could question it, the Kyuubi snarled, his tails bristling as the Composer became aware of another presence – that almost seemed to have come out of nothing. And that was soon followed by a voice…

"…It has been a while… Kurasa."

"…Kamui."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yeah, like I said; this is where things start getting "complicated". It should be pretty obvious who Ichi and Hachi are. Kamui... I'll save explaining his origin when he is properly introduced.**

**One thing I** **forgot to mention about the telephone scene in stage 2; my sister actually told me about such a scene and I have NO idea where she got it from.**

**Edit: For those who have this on Story Alert, sorry if the alert showed up twice, but this chapter (for some reason) refused to show up even after 24 hours.  
><strong>


	6. Stage 6 The Encounter

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 6 – The Encounter<strong>_

"…_It has been a while… Kurasa."_

"…_Kamui."_

Joshua wasn't sure what to think as Neku said only one word in retaliation to the words that had been spoken. At that particular moment, all he could do was stare wordlessly at the… 'man'… standing on the water's surface in the middle of the hot spring as though it was little different from the ground.

He was tall (possibly even taller than Neku), with long, pale bluish-purple hair held up in an old Japanese ponytail on top of his head, with two long locks hanging past his face, secured by ribbons near the tips, with sharp, narrow eyes of a cold, icy blue, and nine powerful fox tails that swayed lightly behind him and two long fox-ears coming from his hair. Like Neku in Kyuubi mode, he had eye shadow around his eyes that made his eyes seem several shades darker, only his was a deep blue instead of black, and he was dressed in a white kimono over a dark purple hakama, and he carried three katanas with him, secured around his waist at his left hip. The last notable fact was the old Japanese pipe currently being held to his mouth, before it was moved and he exhaled a small cloud of smoke.

'This… is Kamui?' Joshua found himself wondering, before the redhead standing before him finally spoke again.

"…Why are you here, Kamui?" Neku demanded icily, his hands flexing slightly as though he was itching to do something.

"Is that not obvious?" questioned the other fox calmly, but there was a cold, deadly undertone to his voice that made Joshua dislike him very much. "It is time for you to come home."

"I'll be the judge of that myself," Neku stated, and one of his tails snapped at the air like a whip. "I don't need you to babysit me, Kamui. I'm over 3.000 years old already. I'm not a kit anymore!"

Kamui didn't answer immediately, opting instead to take a long drag from his pipe and exhaling, before offering a response. "Your mission is already over. It is time to go home."

"I already said that I'll be the judge of that myself," was the reply. "It's not for you to decide whether my mission is done or not."

"…hmph. You say you are no longer a kit, and yet you are still acting as one… Searching for excuses to keep playing a game that's long since ended…"

"Look who's talking; _**I**_ am not the one acting like an obsessive _yandere _here!"

At that, Kamui actually choked on a puff of smoke and Joshua couldn't help but giggle. Despite that both Neku and Kamui were powerful daiyoukai, they were actually acting like a pair of squabbling siblings, and, for a moment, this made them seem almost human.

Of course that wasn't meant to last as Kamui cast a glare at Neku. "Last chance, Kurasa; come home with me!"

"My _name_ is Sakuraba Neku," the redhead snarled out furiously, his tails bristling even further, making them seem much thicker than they actually were. "And even if I _was_ coming back, I would _never_ go back _with you_!"

If possible, Kamui's glare only grew stronger in intensity. And then – without so much as a word of warning – Kamui had disappeared from where he had been mere moments ago, only a slight ripple on the water indicating he had ever been there. Joshua barely had time to blink, before Neku suddenly produced a nine-pronged sword from one of his tails – the same that Neku used against Joshua two months ago – and brought it up, blocking the incoming slice downward from Kamui's katana – who had just as suddenly appeared in midair in front of the redhead, as though he had just teleported.

From his last actual fight with the redheaded Kyuubi almost two months ago, Joshua knew that he was fast… but Kamui was on an entirely different level. Neku was forced to leap back on several occasions and parry the incoming blows from Kamui's blade, and even their nine tails shot out and seemed to dance around them like a mass of razor sharp blades trying to rip the other to shreds.

In less than a minute, Neku had leapt halfway across the spring, with Kamui right behind him, both of them jumping about on the surface of the water without any difficulties. Joshua could only stand there and watch, both unsure of what to do and mesmerized by the almost dance-like fighting the two Kyuubi were using against one another.

If Kamui were to stab forward with his katana, Neku would simply spin out of the way with his arms held to the side of his chest, before countering with a swish of his tails. And whenever Neku would lash out, Kamui would twist his body around in a way that was almost elegant, before he almost speared Neku on the end of his own tails. They moved so fast and so fluent that Joshua had a lot of difficulty following everything that happened.

Until the point where Neku whipped out with one of his tails and a flash of black shot out, colliding head-on with Kamui's face and knocking him back. And the Composer was more than a little surprised when the flash of black slowed down enough for him to make out just _what_ it was.

"…Misaki Shiki?"

The girl standing on the water only two feet away from Neku certainly looked like Neku's first Partner from the Reapers' Game. Well, her normal self, that is, meaning the appearance that she had given up when entering the Game 5 years ago. Black hair with a hint of brown trailed down her back to her shoulders, but instead of some casual clothes, she was wearing a light green kimono, a white Kitsune mask hid her face from view, a small pair of fox ears peeked out from her hair and a long, bushy fox tail swayed a little behind her. And of course, last but not least, Mr. Mew was standing at the ready right beside her.

"…I see you have added more dolls to your collection," Kamui said coldly, making Joshua frown in confusion. "What good will such pathetic copies of _humans_ do you?"

'Dolls? Hmm… I wasn't aware Neku collected anything so childish…'

"Don't you dare look down on us!" Neku snarled out, and even the masked Shiki seemed to be getting angry, even if her actual face wasn't visible. "Nana, show 'im!"

The girl—Nana—didn't object, nor did she hesitate and threw her arm forward, the motion sending Mr. Mew flying right at Kamui. Of course, that was blocked, but the next hit came so fast that it smacked the blue-haired Kyuubi to the cheek, forcing him to stagger before Mr. Mew drilled both claws into his gut, knocking the breath out of him. And as he staggered back, a chain of barbed wire appeared right behind, making him howl as he tripped backwards and fell in the water with a resounding splash.

This sight made Joshua giggle. 'Aahhh. Looks like their "water walk" trick only works when they're standing or walking on it, and not when they fall on it. Hihi.'

Nana was also giggling, even as Kamui climbed back out, spluttering. Once he had caught his breath again, the Kyuubi snarled and stood up straight. "You… are a FOOL, Kurasa! You would betray your very family… for this pathetic Composer?"

Joshua immediately stopped giggling and smirking, and he felt a vein twitch on his forehead. 'Did… did he just call me…?'

"I don't need you lecturing me! And my name is NEKU! Sound plus manipulation! How difficult is that to understand?" Neku roared out furiously.

Kamui glared in equal or even greater fury, the grip on his blade tightening. "Have you already forgotten? Have you forgotten who it was that murdered your family?"

While Joshua stared at the blue-haired Kyuubi in surprise at this piece of information, Neku snarled. "Do you actually think I would forget _that?_ No! But taking out my anger on those who have had no hand in that massacre is both childish _and _stupid! Just because one Composer would go out of his way to wipe out our kind does NOT mean all of them are the same!"

At those words, Joshua _actually_ dropped his jaw in both horror and shock. Neku's words kept on echoing in his head as he tried to relocate his voice, which seemed to have escaped him at some point. However, before he could find it, he became aware of a deadly snarl rumbling through the air, coming from the blue-haired Kyuubi in question.

Kamui's glare, if anything, had gotten even fiercer than before, to the point where Joshua was sure he could set things ablaze with his glare alone.

"You foolish BRAT!" Kamui practically howled, his tails swaying angrily. "Humans will always be humans! Their first and only interest will always be themselves! No matter how much they claim it to be otherwise!"

And no sooner had he finished those words, or one of his tails lashed out at the air, sending a volley of razor sharp blades flying from the limb - straight for Joshua.

"Shit!" Neku yowled, and Joshua gasped sharply in alarm, moving to dive aside…

But no sooner had he prepared to jump back, or the blades were stopped only a few inches away from him by a pair of fans, the blades rupturing through the material but preventing them from hitting their intended target. Both surprised and relieved, Joshua turned to look at the wielder… or "wielders"… of the fans.

They were a pair of kids of roughly 15, maybe 16 at the most, one of them male and the other female, with deep red hair the color of fire, the girl's hair styled into a bun and the boy's in a small ponytail, dressed in beautiful kimono's, both in silver with black and golden trimming. Like the Shiki-look-alike, they had a pair of fox-ears poking out of their hair, a fox-tail swaying behind them, white Kitsune masks covering their faces from view.

Neither of the two spoke as they beat their fans at the ground, dislodging the blades from the items, which, upon reopening, were once more in one piece. They remained silent as they stood firmly in between Joshua and the two Kyuubi, clearly to prevent something similar from transpiring again.

"That… was a despicably low blow, Kamui!" Neku snarled out. "If you want a fight, pick it with me and leave Joshua out of this!"

Kamui only snorted, a look of contempt on his face tat seemed to be aimed more at Joshua than Neku. "You would choose such a _pathetic_ soul over us? Have you lost your mind? You know the rules that were set for your mission!"

"So what?" Neku said with a small snort of his own. "At least _I'm_ not the one throwing a tantrum because a person I care about wants to do what he wants for once!"

"Kurasa, you–"

"It's Neku! _Ne-ku!_ How many times do I have to say it before you get the point? I'm NOT the same kit I was before, Kamui! Just get the hell out of here! I don't want to see your face here anymore! _GET OUT!_"

The sheer fury in Neku's voice caused Kamui to backpedal in alarm, a startled look on his face. However, it had gone in the blink of an eye, and Kamui glared. "…you will regret this, brat!" he snarled, before he kicked off from the water – and disappeared.

For a long, breathless moment, no one moved, but, finally, Neku released a long, suffering sigh and held his head, as the trio of fox people relaxed their stances. Neku grumbled something under his breath, before he began to walk back toward Joshua. As he did, though, his tails swayed briefly, and in the next moment, Nana had disappeared. And when Joshua looked carefully, he noticed that the other two were also gone.

But before he could ask about it…

"Get on your knees."

Startled, Joshua looked up to Neku, blinking. "I beg your pardon?"

"_On your knees, Yoshiya_," Neku snarled out dangerously.

"Okay, okay… sigh… no need to get pushy," Joshua sighed out, though on the inside, he was panicking. He wasn't sure what the Kyuubi had planned, but he had a feeling he wasn't going to like it. Neku _never_ used his real name unless he was royally ticked off, or hot and bothered.

Nevertheless, Joshua got down on his knees, knowing what would happen if he didn't. What happened then, however, wasn't what he had been expecting;

Neku dropped down to his knees as well and slumped forward, his forehead thumping against Joshua's collarbone solidly.

Of course, Joshua gasped in surprise at the motion, and then blinked as his mind caught up to what had happened. "Uh… Neku?"

"Shuddap…" Neku grumbled in annoyance, not even bothering to look up. "Pillows don't talk…"

"…excuse me?"

"Shush…"

Joshua stared for a moment, expecting the fox to do something to surprise him like he sometimes tended to do… but after a few more moments, he realized that Neku's tails had coiled up around them both, and the redhead's breathing was calm and even.

He was asleep…

As that dawned on him, Joshua allowed a small, slightly relieved sigh and smiled absently. "And here you go calling _me_ a piece of work… hihi… you're not so bad yourself…"

Shaking his head, Joshua wrapped one arm around the fox, using his other arm for leverage to scoot back and settle against the sakura tree they had been laying under before. Neku didn't move with him on his own accord, which he had expected. Hence why he'd wrapped his arm around the Kyuubi, so that he could move the Kitsune with him.

Once he had settled comfortably against the tree, Joshua allowed another sigh and looked down to the Kyuubi.

The redhead's face was calm, and he actually looked rather peaceful. Josh had never seen the fox when he was asleep (or had never really watched before), but it was hard to believe that this person resting against him was a fearsome Kyuubi no Kitsune, if the fox ears and nine powerful tails didn't give away immediately. His mouth had opened a little, but he was breathing only through his nose. His eyelids occasionally fluttered, lost in the realm of dreams, and Joshua resisted a chuckled as he realized that Neku's eyelashes were actually pretty long. His facial features were sharp, even more so than they had been when he had been a teen, and Joshua had to wonder how much of that was really his own and how much was actually human. His lips were only one shade darker than his skin, but you could only notice that if you were really close…

Startled, Joshua snapped his head when it dawned to him that he had been steadily inching his face closer to Neku's. Or more accurately; inching their lips closer to each other.

"…I must be out of my mind…" Joshua breathed out, running one of his hands through his hair. "Why was I trying to… well… whatever. Maybe I should get some rest, too…"

Sighing heavily, and just slightly in exasperation, Joshua was able to move Neku until the both lay on their sides beneath the tree. Just as he was about to doze off, however, he almost jumped as a few of Neku's tails flopped down over him. If Joshua didn't know any better, he'd say the had a life of their own.

Chuckling slightly at his own thought Joshua finally just shut his eyes and rested his chin on top of Neku's head, and, slowly, his consciousness slipped away from him again.

* * *

><p>"…So much rain…" Jin murmured, almost wistfully as he gazed outside from inside his apartment, twirling his pen between his fingers. His foster parents were asleep, so he had to be extra quiet, but that didn't bother him.<p>

He didn't understand just how he had ended back in Shibuya, living with people he barely even knew, but what did it matter? This was how his life had been for the past ten years anyway; he'd been shipped off to so many foster families over the years, all because they couldn't 'deal' with his 'problem'. And because he'd skipped school so many times in the past, he wasn't really allowed to go anywhere.

Not that that stopped him. He was technically an adult, so even if they wanted to, they couldn't stop him from doing what he wanted.

Moving his bangs aside, Jin went back to his 'homework'. Of course, he didn't care about his grades; he wasn't aiming for anything and he had no one he wanted to impress, so why bother, anyway? Really, all he wanted was to do what he liked.

His pen strayed from the page and he pushed up the books and papers, flipping open a sketchbook and prepared to set his pen down… but he paused.

With a small frown, he stood up and walked to the window, throwing open the curtains all the way and moving to the side so he could look around the corner of his windowsill. Sitting there on the fire escape of the building, was someone who Jin had never seen before, and he knew he would recognize someone like this guy.

He was a young man with curious silvery blonde hair which hung down to his mid-back and was secured at the shoulder blades in a loose ponytail, but he had two shorter locks framing his face that curled over his cheeks, just under his eyes. He was dressed in simple non-brand clothes and was currently struggling with trying to get an umbrella open, and he was failing horribly.

"C'mon you stupid thing… _open!_" he snarled, and the umbrella obeyed – too well. It opened so far that it was now inside out, courtesy of a sudden gust of wind zipping into it. And, to add insult to injury, the wind was strong enough to blow it out of the man's hands. "Oh…! Can't I get a break already?"

Rolling his eyes, Jin merely shook his head, before undoing the latch and pulling open the window. Leaning forward on the sill, he asked simply: "What are you doing?"

The man yelped and whipped around to face Jin in surprise. "Oh uh… nothing. I was just uh… That is, I…"

Jin waited for a few more moments as the man struggled to come up with a good excuse as to _why_ he was standing outside in the rain on a fire escape in the middle of the night, before he had enough of it and sighed in annoyance. "You're gonna catch a cold out there… get in before you freeze to death," he grumbled, ducking back into his room before he, himself, caught a cold. He left the window open, and moved into the adjoining bathroom to snag a towel.

It wasn't that he really cared, he just wasn't feeling up to having to clean up after a dead body. When the man quickly scampered into the room, closing the window behind him, Jin tossed him the towel, which hit him right in the kisser.

"BWAH!" the man yelped from behind the cloth, before moving it down to look over it and to the brunette. "Was that necessary?"

"Just shut up and dry off… Take a shower if you must, just don't bother me," Jin mumbled in annoyance, returning to his seat to get back to what he was doing.

The man seemed a little confused, but he didn't ask and instead walked toward the bathroom, closing the door behind him as he went. Jin, however, didn't even look up and instead only brought down his pen to the paper of his sketchbook and began to draw.

Half the time, Jin wasn't even thinking about what he drew; he just let his hand go where it wanted to go. Sometimes he would draw things from his childhood nightmares, things that he wanted to forget but couldn't. Most of those involved birds. God, how he _hated_ birds… stupid creatures… He didn't even remember what started his hatred for them, and he really didn't care, honestly.

Jin remained silent as he kept on sketching, even as he heard the shower turn on. Any normal person would've never agreed to let the guy inside, let alone let him use the shower as he pleased, but Jin wasn't normal, and really, he just didn't care.

"Huh… that's pretty cool."

Jin absently looked up. The guy was now leaning on the backrest of is chair, chin almost resting on Jin's head, looking down at the sketches with a towel wound around his hair to prevent any droplets from leaking out. He appeared to be mostly dry, except for his hair, which would explain the towel.

"You're pretty good. Are you studying art?" the man asked.

"…no. I'm not allowed to."

"…not allowed to? Says who?"

"Foster parents… current bunch…" Jin mumbled. "They say it's better if I learn something 'worthwhile'…"

"…_Geeeeez_… what a waste…" the man murmured, watching as Jin kept sketching. "You got so much talent… You could be a great artist if given the chance."

"…whatever…"

The man blinked a few times, before moving around the chair. "Oh, by the by, I'm Ruka. Thanks for pulling me in here back there."

"…Jin…"

"Pleasure."

The guy—Ruka—barely seemed to mind the lack of response and instead leaned sideways on the desk and watched Jin work. He didn't ask about Jin's foster parents, or why Jin was still living with them for that matter, and that was fine with the brunette. He really didn't want to discuss any of that.

"…You like drawing?"

"…hmhmm…"

"It shows… you really pour all you got into these, huh?"

Jin only finished the bird he had just drawn, its large tribal styled wings, beak and talons looking both gorgeous and dangerous at the same time. Something about it felt off, though; like something was missing…

"Huh… looks like a big ol' leader type, huh? Why not give 'im some lil henchmen?"

At those words, Jin blinked and looked up to Ruka. The blonde, in response, held up his hands as though in defense.

"Just an idea! I mean, it looked a bit… empty, yanno? Would be a lot more epic with some cronies scattered around."

"…"

Jin just looked at Ruka for a long moment, his expression not giving anything away, before finally turning back to his drawing.

"…"

Wordlessly, he started drawing the henchmen Ruka had suggested.

* * *

><p>"..iya-san. Yoshiya-san, awaken."<p>

"…mm… hm?"

Joshua wearily blinked his eyes open, a tad annoyed. He had just been enjoying a nice nap, so who was trying to ruin that?

As he became a little more aware, he noticed that, sitting a little to the side, were the two Kitsune who had used their fans to protect him from Kamui's 'assault'. However, the main difference was that they were no longer wearing their masks. They looked much alike, only the girl's eyes and features were rounder, and their eyes were a dark golden color. As with Neku and Kamui, they also had eye shadow (deep black) surrounding their eyes, but they also had a single kanji painted on their forehead. The girl had the kanji for "two", and the boy had the kanji for "three".

"We apologize for waking you…" said the girl.

"…but this is a matter of extreme urgency," finished the boy.

Joshua sighed slightly. "Can't it wait, really? I'm rather tire, so if you'll excuse me…"

"Yoshiya-san, please…"

"…this is important!"

"…could you stop finishing each other's sentences? That's creepy…"

"Our apologies," both said at the same time, in the same tone, while glancing down at the same angle. If there had been any doubt earlier, it was crystal clear now that they were probably twins.

The Composer resisted the urge to sigh again, and settled a bit better to face them properly, taking note of the still sleeping Kitsune laying against him. "Alright, what's so important that it can't wait until I wake up on my own?"

"Before that, perhaps an introduction is in order…" said the girl. "I am Nii Lin."

"And I am San Ren," said the boy. "What we wish to speak with you about, is the situation with Kamui."

"Ah, yes, the 'yandere', as Neku calls him," Joshua quips with a chuckle, and the twins actually look like they were resisting the urge to smile or laugh.

"Yes, him. The matter is, Kamui may have left this place, but there is a great chance that he will seek you out," Lin said, a deep frown on her face that was mirrored by her brother.

"Oh? Is that really such a problem?" Joshua asked with a tilt of his head.

"You do not understand; Kamui is almost 3 centuries older than… Neku-san," Ren said, though he seemed to hesitate on Neku's name for some reason. "The fight today… Kamui was holding himself back so he would not hurt him, but we fear that, if he catches you alone, then he will do no such thing."

"We do not doubt that he will come for you, for he will likely think that if he removes Shibuya, then Neku-san will return home," added Lin.

"…This might be just my 'illogical' thinking, but how is that going to help him?" Joshua asked, trying to hide the fact that Kamui coming after him—after learning that he's even stronger than Neku—actually scares him.

"Your thinking is not illogical, Yoshiya-san," said Ren. "It is Kamui who is the illogical one, but this is merely because he worries too much."

"No matter what, Neku-san will always be the youngest, and this—for Kamui—is enough of a reason to start to worry."

Joshua watched the pair for a moment. They didn't look like they were trying to pull a prank on him, but then again, Joshua didn't know anything about these two. The only thing he knew for certain was that they were close to Neku in one way or another.

"Alright… so, say I believe you, what would you have me do?" he asked after a moment.

"All the advice we can offer you is to ensure that, until Kamui leaves Shibuya behind, you are not left alone," Ren said softly.

"He will be watchful of your every move from now on, hoping for the moment you are alone so that he will have a chance to strike."

"Your best chance to prevent a confrontation is to stay close to anyone you can until he leaves. Of course, this includes your Angel friend at the WildKat cafe."

"…that's it?"

"For now, it is the best we can offer you… though even this option will most likely not last long…"

"You may have noticed already, but Kamui has a powerful hate for humans. He is also very impatient. Eventually, he will lose patience and will attack immediately."

Josh sigh in annoyance, rubbing his temple as he felt a headache coming on. So his only real chance was to avoid Kamui, which was accomplished by staying with someone at all times. But if he did that for too long, Kamui would lose patience and attack anyway. So where did that leave him?

'…hold on…'

"And what if I, say, stuck around _Neku_ all the time?"

At that suggestion, the pair's ears snapped up and they stared at Joshua in surprise, before turning to each other and sharing a look. They seemed to be wordlessly conversing with each other, before they turned their attention back to Joshua.

"That… could work…" said Lin, though she did not sound completely sure of it.

"We… had not considered the option much… since… well, you seem to dislike meeting Neku-san overly much," Ren admitted.

"…Where did you get that idea?" Joshua said before he could stop himself. When the pair looked at him strangely, he realized what he'd said and almost paled in alarm. "H-he's still my Proxy, you know? It's still amusing on occasion to rattle his cage a bit."

The pair frowned slightly, but they didn't question him, for which he was glad. Even in his own mind, the reason he had just given sounded almost like an excuse, and he really didn't want to admit that fact.

"Well… if that is what you wish to do… then do not let us stop you," said Lin.

"We apologize for the inconvenience and we will hope that this situation will be resolved soon," added Ren, after which the pair bowed deeply, their foreheads almost touching the ground.

Well, they were polite at the very least. That was always a plus. However, this still left one of Joshua's questions unanswered.

"One thing, though; exactly _who_ are you two to Neku?"

The pair looked up for a moment, before they looked over to each other once again. They seemed to want to say something, but before they could, Neku gave a small groan and shifted against the Composer. Almost immediately, the pair paled and scampered away, running past them as Neku's tails flailed for a bit as the Kyuubi slowly awoke — and then they were gone.

'So much for getting answers on that…' Joshua thought with a small, annoyed frown, before wiping the look away and smiling down at the awakening redhead. "Morning, dear."

"…nrgh… 's not mornin' yet…" Neku grumbled wearily blinking his eyes open. "'n' Dun call me tha…"

'Wow… he must be really bushed if he's slurring like that.'

Joshua had never seen the Kyuubi grow tired enough for his speech to be slurred, even upon awakening or after a 'busy night' (mostly because Josh tended to be the one to pass out from exhaustion), so this was a very peculiar and rare sight for the Composer of Shibuya. And of course, he wouldn't be Joshua if he didn't play on that.

"Awww. Not enough sleep for you? Need me to tuck you in again?"

"Shuddap…" Neku grumbled, grabbing Joshua's shoulders and pulling himself up so he could properly rest his face against the silverette's shoulder. "You're too noisy…"

"Oh? But didn't you say last time you wanted to hear me _scream_?"

"…dun tempt me, Josh…"

"Awww… why not?"

"Wanna sleep…" the Kyuubi grumbled, his tails coiling up around them once more. "So shush…"

Joshua merely smirked cheekily, but he shrugged his free shoulder and reached up to rest one of his hands on top of Neku's head, taking careful not to use his whole hand, rather than just his fingers. Last thing he wanted was for Neku to lash out at him _again_. But thankfully, the fox took this move a whole lot better, and though his ear twitched briefly against the silverette's cheek, he didn't respond. The Composer resisted the urge to sigh in relief, and instead ran his hand lightly through Neku's spiky hair.

It wasn't until he did that he realized he had never really touched Neku's hair like that; his hands were usually bound together or he was clawing at the redhead's shoulders and back. The locks were coarse, which made Joshua wonder if, just maybe, Neku's hair was naturally as spiky as it was, whereas before he would've believed (along with everyone else meeting him) that he was using gel to keep it in place. However, it was also surprisingly soft, and the strands tickled as he moved a small lock between thumb and forefinger.

Unable to help himself, Joshua moved his hand through the redhead's hair in a way that one would pet a cat. Scratching was out of the question, he knew now, so he just ran his hand through the spiky strands. As he did, though, a noise began to reverberate from within Neku's chest, and it took Josh a few seconds to place the sound.

"…Neku, are you _actually_ enjoying this?" Joshua giggled out, running his hand over and over through the Kyuubi's hair.

"…_grraaah_… sh… shuddap…" Neku managed to get out, clearly trying to stop purring as loudly as he was.

Of course, Joshua allowed a small, evil smile, and decided that now was the perfect time for him to get a little 'payback' on the Kitsune. So instead of stopping, he brought up his other hand as well and began to run both hands through the fox's hair, dragging only his fingerpads across his scalp.

In response, Neku released something that Joshua could almost call a _mewl_, as his tails began to twitch and sway, his body instinctively moving closer to the Composer's touch. His hands gripped onto Joshua's arms tightly, the Kyuubi's long nails almost ripping both his shirt and his skin. And, as Joshua shifted his leg, he realized that the Kyuubi had another 'small' problem.

"J-Josh… s-stop already…" Neku ground out, his breathing starting to grow heavy and uneven.

Though of course, Joshua did anything _but_ stop. If anything, his smirk only widened and he ran his fingers across the fox's scalp all the way down to his neck, drawing more purrs and mewls from the redhead.

"Why ever should I?" Joshua asked with a giggle. "You seem to be having _fun_, aren't you?"

"Th-that's not the… _point_…!" Neku choked out, before he release another keening wail as Joshua began rubbing his leg along the fox's groin. "N-no… _ah… hah… _J… Joshu… _aaah_…"

The Composer allowed a small grin, which faltered when Neku instinctively arched forward against Joshua. And since Joshua was currently positioned a little higher than usual, Neku's cock ground hard against his own, which was steadily hardening as well because of the sounds the fox was making. For a brief moment, Joshua actually thought about stopping, but the thought of getting even with Neku wouldn't let him.

So instead, he brought down one of his hands, cupped the Kyuubi's ass and pulled him closer. This time, he got something that was a mix of a howl and mewl, which was mixed together with his own moan as their erections rubbed together through their clothes.

With one hand still running through Neku's hair and the other keeping Neku close by his ass, he murmured softly: "What's the problem, Neku? Normally you wouldn't miss a chance like this… or did Kamui rattle you a little too much?"

"Tha… that ha-has nothing to—_aaaahhh! _S-stop it…! Y-you don't know what… _hah… hah… _J-Joshu_aaaaah!_"

The ashen haired boy allowed a small chuckle, before he had to break it off with a groan. In a way, he should've seen this coming, but he couldn't care much at this point. He was much too focused n what he was doing at that point to think about that. Hell, he didn't even remember why he thought this was a good idea.

"_Hah… hah…_ does… does it matter?" Josh managed to get out. "C'mon… it's no… _ngh! _No different from any… other time… _hah… aaahh…_ So why're you… holding back?"

"Y-you don't get it! I-I can't—_ahhh! _N-no…! S-stop…!"

"It's… fine… c'mon… just… let it… _ah…_ let it g-_goooohh!_"

If Joshua had been paying close attention, he might have noticed the way that Neku was struggling to keep his mouth shut tight, his face still pressed into Joshua's shoulder as his entire body trembled. His lips curled away, baring his sharp fangs even as he kept his jaw locked tight, up until he let out another yowl.

"J-Josh…! D-don't make me… _AH!"_

"_Nrgh… hah… ah…_ Ne… Neku… oh _god…!_ You… you brought this… on yourself, you… _hah_… you know?" Joshua choked out. "You… you're the one who… _hah hah…_ got this whole _thiiing—!_ St-started…! So… _aaahhh!_ Wh-why don't you just… _hah… ah…_ enjoy this? _Ahn!_"

Neku's only response was a loud moan, his uneven breathing forcing his teeth apart to allow him to get the required amount of air in his lungs. And once he had opened his mouth, it was exceedingly difficult getting it shut again. The Kyuubi wailed as his tails flailed almost violently, his hands pulling on the silverette's shirt, pulling it down past his shoulders.

Joshua didn't really notice this until the Kitsune started to nip on the junction between his neck and shoulder, a rumbling purr rolling off his tongue. The Composer was barely able to smirk, his own breathing no longer allowing him to actually say anything with the exception of the endless litany that was Neku's name. When one of Neku's ears twitched against the side of his head, he managed a slow blink, before he, without thinking, moved forward and lightly nipped on the long ear (using only his teeth so as not to get any hair in his mouth).

In response, the redhead gasped sharply, so he did it again, and this time the fox whimpered. The silver-haired boy groaned at the sound, moving his hand through the fox's hair a little roughly, drawing another purr from the Kyuubi that made him whimper.

"_Ah… hah…. hah…_ Ne… Nek-_uuuuuh! _Oh god… can't… _ah… ah… _I… I can't…! _Aaahh!_"

"_Hah… hah…_ so… don't hold—_aaah!_ Back… _sh-shiiiit…!_"

Joshua wanted to say something, but nothing would come out except for a long, pleasured wail as his release hit him. Neku yowled briefly as his own climax struck him at roughly the same time, before—

"_Ah!_"

A sharp pain in his shoulder sent a surge of pleasure racing across Joshua's nerves that made it feel as though he just came again. Hell, maybe he _did_, but the Composer was beyond caring, as Neku's contented purr resounded in his ear and even _through _him somehow…

His vision grew hazy as he released a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding, before his body went limp against the Kyuubi and his eyes slipped shut. He didn't know just what he was feeling, but it was something he could definitely get used to.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Right, couple of people to introduce here. Let's go in order;**

**Kamui = I based him off of the Vocaloid (or "Gackpoid", as the original name is for him) Kamui Gakupo, whose voice has been provided to him by Camui Gackt. For those unfamiliar with him, Gackt does a lot of songs for the Kamen Rider series.**

**Ruka = Ruka's appearance is mostly based off of Kuja from FF9 (who I still say is the estranged brother of Joshua).**

**Lin & Ren = The names originate from the Vocaloid twins, Kagamine Rin and Len, but that's as far as that goes.  
><strong>


	7. Stage 7 The Watchers

_**Wishes**_

_**Stage 7 – The Watchers**_

* * *

><p>Joshua didn't often think back on his past (mostly because he was trying to forget it), but sometimes he found himself—unintentionally—remembering his life from before he became the almighty Composer.<p>

This was one such time.

His mother had been a colonist from England, his father had been a simple ferryman of one of the ships traveling back and forth between various cities. It wasn't a job that paid overly well, but it was enough. Joshua never could recall his parents ever really arguing, but he didn't see them overly much to begin with. He had always been rather withdrawn when he was young, as he preferred plucking the strings of his grandmother's koto than he did when playing games with other kids his age.

When Joshua had said to Neku during the Reapers' Game that he didn't do the "whole sweating thing", he had actually been referring to that. He had always had very low stamina because of this, but back then, it had never bothered him before. He was more than content to just laze away in his room, lightly flicking the koto's strings and just listening to its gentle music wafting through the air.

His grandparents from his father's side were kind, and he loved seeing them whenever he could. Not just because of his grandmother's old koto (as she had given it to him as a gift when he was 5), but also because they were always so kind to him, even if he had been born with eyes that were a curious amethyst in color. Back then, being born with such eyes was, by some, feared, only because he was not a full-blooded Japanese.

And then his parents were murdered…

Perhaps he should've died then, too, but before he could become the target of the people who had killed them, he had been pulled away. Confused and frightened, he didn't remember the person's face; he only vaguely remembered his voice shouting to him.

"Don't just stand there! Run! Do you want to die?"

And he had. As little stamina as he had, his body—panic-stricken as it was—created such a burst of adrenaline that he ran without thinking twice about his dislike for any strenuous activity. His legs were wailing at him that they wanted to rest, but his mind was screaming as loudly as it could to the rest of his body; "run".

For however long they ran, Joshua no longer remembered, but he did recall how he had started bawling when it finally dawned to him that his parents were dead and the other person had to carry him the rest of the way. He cried and cried for what felt like hours, and yet the person did not leave. In fact, he staid by his side and offered him quiet words of comfort, before taking him to his grandparents house.

The stranger had left him then, leaving him with only a single sentence that Joshua wouldn't understand until much later;

"Give up on yourself and you give up on the world."

It was from that point onward that Joshua was able to see into the UG, though, of course, he didn't know it was called that, back then…

He wanted to tell someone about what he saw, about the Noise, about the dead people running around to complete missions with that ray of hope burning in their chest that they would soon be among the living again. He wanted to ask someone those questions that burned in his heart and begged for answers. Why were the dead running around between the living without anyone seeing them? What were those strange creatures and those people with the wings? Who was responsible for all of that?

But he didn't dare. His grandparents had grown weary of him after his parents were murdered, and he felt like they weren't even the same people anymore. He didn't want to play the koto anymore either. That wouldn't bring in any money, he realized. Even if that was what he wanted, he couldn't do it, because it would not keep him alive. Let alone, the people he wanted to hear his playing were no longer there.

There were times when he stood alone, in his room, among the people walking around outside, and he remembered searching for the person who had rescued him that day… because he wanted to know why _he_ had been saved and not his parents, too…

But he never met him again.

As the years continued, Joshua began losing sight of himself. He lost himself in the drinks his grandparents had always warned him to stay away from as a child. Now, they simply ceased to care and Joshua would often drink until he passed out. He'd wake up with a migraine and ended up feeling worse than he did before he started his last drinking session.

It ended up becoming an addiction; he drank to forget at first, but steadily, he drank just because he wanted to, not caring if the liquid burned its way down his throat every time. He hated himself, wanted to stop what he was doing, but his self-loathing only became another thing he wanted to forget, and thus a matter that he resolved with drinking.

Before long, it was difficult for him to remember anything at all. Even who he himself was. And in a way… that was fine…

He just wanted to disappear…

The day he turned 18 was the day he didn't wake up again from his own drinking. As he later found out, his grandparents had slipped poison into the sake, knowing he would eventually drink it and they had hoped for his death.

Joshua remembered his Game very vaguely. He had made it to the end somehow, but he had refused to be alive again. This left him with the option of either passing on, or becoming a Reaper.

He chose the latter.

And 30 years later, he toppled the Composer and claimed his title. Sanae had also been the Producer then, but instead of a coffee shop, he'd owned a small bar, and, while Joshua himself scarcely remembered, the silverhead had often spoken to him about everything and nothing. Sanae became like his guardian then, and also helped him with his drinking problem.

Joshua had sworn to never touch a bottle of alcohol again after that…

And then the Kyuubi had shown up…

* * *

><p>Joshua leaped away from the daiyoukai as its nine powerful tails created such strong gusts of wind that they almost caused the smaller buildings of Shibuya to topple over.<p>

"Why are you doing this?" the Composer demanded. "What has this city ever done to you?"

"**Your city is corrupt, Composer!**" the beast growled out, its fangs bared in a furious snarl. "**A city this corrupt has no right to exist!**"

"Shibuya is NOT corrupt!" Joshua shouted out, releasing a blast of energy at the Kitsune, but it was easily avoided. "I won't let you do as you please in my city! I'll stop you here and now!"

"**You? Stop **_**me? HAHAHAHAHAH! **_**How amusing… well then… Let's play then, Composer!**"

* * *

><p>Back then, Joshua had failed to grasp why the Kyuubi was there, but he had been determined to prove him wrong. After the fight, Joshua had struggled feverishly until his head felt like it would burst from him pouring his Imagination into the city.<p>

'I don't want to remember this…' Joshua thought through the haze of his mind. 'I just want to wake up… please…'

But as he made the plea, he watched as the years ticked by like seconds… until seven years had passed since the Kyuubi had appeared.

* * *

><p>Normally, Joshua hated watching kids. Not because they were annoying (though that also played a part), but because it would always remind him of how badly he had messed up with his own life. Strangely enough, there seemed to be a lot of people out with their kids that particular day. Most of them were barely 10 years old, but there were a few in their early teen years, too, but they were always together with their parents.<p>

Those were the ones Joshua hated to see the most. Kids with their parents. It reminded him too much of his own…

Anyway, that particular day, Joshua had actually turned down to the RG, needing a break from the last Game he'd hosted. When he tuned down, he usually made himself appear as a young adult, but now, he had decided that 15 was old enough. At least for the moment.

It was on that day that Joshua met the small boy called Sakuraba Neku.

He sat by the foot of Hachiko, behind the statue, out of sight, a scrawny little kid of barely two. His short orange hair was mussed and only a little spiky, and his bright blue eyes were brimming over with tears as he sat there, shivering and curled up into a ball. He was clearly lost, and his parents were nowhere to be seen, but still he didn't make a sound and he didn't sob or wail as his tears rolled across those round, flushed cheeks. The only sound coming from the boy was the occasional hiccup.

As said before, Joshua—_normally_—hated watching kids. But the boy looked so sad… so _pathetic_… that some part in Joshua's heart pulled at him to backtrack to crouch before the boy.

"Hey… are you lost, little one?" he asked kindly. "Where's your mommy and daddy?"

The boy looked up, but he didn't speak. His blue eyes weren't exactly hostile, but they weren't friendly either. It wasn't until then that Joshua realized the boy's Music was so still, that he had to strain his senses to hear it, and even then, he couldn't distinguish the notes being played.

He remained deathly quiet. That in itself was unusual for a child of two. Children his age were supposed to be bouncing all over the place and crying and laughing with all their energy, but this kid was just sitting there, unmoving and silent. He wouldn't speak to Joshua at all, and just watched wordlessly.

Joshua sighed, running a hand through his hair. Really, he wasn't good with kids, so he shouldn't be surprised the kid wouldn't talk to him. Still, it felt wrong to just leave him like that, so he moved over and sat down beside him.

"Well, it's fine if you won't talk. I'll just stay here until someone picks you up."

But no one did…

Joshua sat there and waited with the small boy. First an hour, then two, and as the fourth hour past and no one had come for him, Joshua had had enough. Where were the boy's parents? Had they just left him there and gone off on their own, claiming to be right back only to disappear without a word?

He looked to the boy, and spotted a small star sewn on his jacket. On it were the Kanji and hiragana that spelled out "Sakuraba Neku". But more importantly, there was a phone number.

"…Hey, should I call your mom and dad?" he asked of the boy, even though he was already pulling out his phone and pressing down on all the keys.

The boy looked up at that, and a small, hopeful shine came to his eyes as Joshua put the phone to his ear. He waited for a while, preparing himself to—possibly—hear either the sound of someone really wasted, or the sound of an answering machine.

But no. The voice answering the phone was a clipped, slightly curt feminine voice. "_Yes, hello?_"

"Pardon my interruption," Joshua began, weighing his words carefully for a moment, "are you Mrs. Sakuraba, by any chance?"

Silence for a moment. The woman seemed to already dread where this call was going. "_…Yes, I am. How did you get this number?_"

"Well, I have this little boy sitting here next to me, and he was wearing a star with this number on it on his jacket," Joshua said, trying to sound casual.

"…_**what?**__ Ne-Neku is…? Where are you?_" the woman cried out, and he could hear a chair hitting the ground on the other side of the phone.

"Ah, we're sitting by Hachiko, Ma'am," Joshua offered, not having expected such a frantic response.

"_**Hachiko?**__ Oh my god how did he—Is he okay? I-is he hurt anywhere?_"

"No, no, he's fine. Just a little startled, that's all."

Definitely _not_ what he was expecting…

"…ma…ma…"

Joshua blinked and looked over to Neku. The small boy had, at some point, crawled over to him and was now trying to climb up the Composer's legs while reaching with one hand for the phone.

"One moment, ma'am," Joshua said quickly, moving his phone and putting it on speaker before bringing it close to the small boy. "Go ahead… say something."

"…ma… mama…!" the boy cried out, his tiny hands trying to get a grip on the small contraption held out to him.

"_Neku! Oh sweetie it's okay! Sssh, ssh, Mama's coming right now! Just stay there with the nice oniichan and I'll be there as soon as I can!_"

"Ma… mama… miss yous!"

"_Mama misses you, too, honey. It's okay, I'm coming right now. Just stay there and be good. Mama loves you lots._"

Neku looked like he was about to start bawling right then and there, but Joshua lightly hugged him. That seemed to help a bit, as the boy managed to get out: "Love you lots toos!" before the line went dead.

"Don't worry," Joshua murmured, pulling the small boy into a hug before he could start to cry again. "Your mama's coming. Okay? So c'mon. Mama wouldn't want to see you crying, would she?"

Neku sniffled, but he did reach up to wipe his tears away. As he did, Joshua carefully picked the boy up and moved to a bench, and there he sat them both down, the small boy right beside him. The boy's Music had gotten a little louder now, meaning that it could've been quiet because of his earlier distress. And Joshua had to admit, it wasn't half bad, even if a little off key because of his youth, and it might also have to do with his panic.

Like that, they sat and waited, quietly. Joshua hoped the boy's mother would hurry, because he wasn't fully sure how long he'd stay this calm. There was no way this kid could stay quiet for much longer after hearing his mother's voice again.

Thankfully, his prayers were answered as—within 45 minutes—a woman dressed in a business suit practically dashed—while wearing heels, no less—onto the plaza, orange brown hair disheveled and completely out of breath. Her deep blue eyes scanned the crowd as she kept a hand to her chest, panting and sweat rolling down her paler than normal forehead.

When she spotted Joshua and Neku, a relieved smile broke over her face. "Neku!"

Immediately, the boy snapped his head up. When he saw the woman, tears began to gather in his eyes again, but he was doing his best not to cry. "Ma-mama!"

Joshua smiled and helped the boy off the bench, watching quietly as the tiny boy ran to the woman, who immediately dropped to her knees and pulled the boy into a hug as he came in range. She didn't even seem to care if this either ripped her skirt or the skin off her knees.

"It's okay, sweetie! I'm here how, it's okay it's okay…" the woman spluttered out amidst her own tears, though Joshua could tell they were genuinely relieved tears. She must've rushed here from wherever she worked (maybe even called a taxi) to make her way to Hachiko as fast as she could for her son.

But that left one question unanswered, still…

Shaking the matter off, Joshua slowly moved closer, wanting to say something… but thought better of it in the last second.

He was still Composer. His job as Composer came above anything else, he knew, and he had already wasted enough time just sitting there with the small boy. He couldn't stay, even if he wanted so very much to.

He watched the scene for a little longer, before he tuned up his frequency and left for the Shibuya River once again.

* * *

><p><em>Heh… Neku was so cute back then…<em>

_I didn't find the reason for him being alone until much later though. His 'nanny' had taken him out for lunch, she'd met some of her friends, and completely forgot about having to watch Neku. Poor kid ended up running around in circles… terrified…_

_I hope they filed a report on her… she deserved that one…_

_Neku… he was so… cute… no… adorable…_

_Was he already the Kyuubi then? Did that boy I saw back then… did he really exist? If so… what became of him? Where did that precious child… go? When did he stop being Neku and when did he… turn into a… into a… monster?_

…_mmm… so hot… ugh… I guess I better get up…_

* * *

><p>When Joshua blinked his eyes open, he was laying on—strangely enough—Neku's bed in his apartment. The curtains were drawn, shrouding the room into darkness, but the alarm clock on the nightstand signaled it was a little after sunrise. Still rather sleepy, Joshua tried to reach up to rub at his eyes, only to realize his hand was, more or less, occupied.<p>

As his awareness returned in full, he was surprised to see the owner of the small apartment beside the bed, on his knees and his arms supporting his head as it lay on the mattress, with one of his hands holding onto Joshua's. The redhead was out of his 'Kyuubi-mode', wearing some light blue sleep clothes, though they seemed darker than they should be.

Frowning, Joshua sat up slowly, taking note of how Neku's breath was coming out slightly heavier than was normal for when the Proxy was asleep, and also how beads of sweat were rolling down from his forehead in an almost continuous stream. Now Joshua didn't know much of the Kyuubi race, but he knew that this could not be good.

"Neku… Neku, dear, wake up," he cooed, reaching over and lightly shaking the other by his arm.

The redhead groaned, as though in pain, and tried to move away. "Nurgh… don't… call me… tha… …Josh?"

Seeming to realize just who had said that, Neku wearily blinked his eyes open. Joshua almost frowned as he saw that the Proxy's eyes were bloodshot, as though he'd been crying. However, he shook it off and offered a small, cheeky smirk. "Who else, dear? Or were you expecting someone else to be here?"

"…You're awake…"

"Well, yes, thank you for stating the obvious. Really now, I've only been asleep for about-"

"Two fucking weeks, you _idiot!_"

That effectively silenced Joshua, and he just stared at the redhead—who did not look pleased _at all—_for a moment. "…excuse me?"

"You heard me! You've been conked out for _two weeks!_" Neku snarled as he pushed up to his feet, releasing Joshua's hand. His expression was cold and hard, but he was, for some reason, breathing harder than he should. "I warned you, didn't I? I told you to stop and what the hell do you do? You do the _exact_ opposite of what you _should've_ done! Were you trying to get yourself killed _again?_"

"Whoa, whoa, Neku, easy…" Joshua got out, holding up his hands in defense. What was happening here? Why was Neku acting this… frazzled? "Did I miss something? I'm sorry, but you're not making any sense, dear."

"_Don't call me—_"

However, before Neku could finish the scream, his words were cut off by a choke and the redhead covered his mouth with both hands, his face suddenly losing all its color as his body lurched dangerously. It only took Joshua's mind a split-second to realize what was happening and—without even knowing why—he jumped out of bed, placed his hands on the redhead's shoulders and pulled/guided Neku toward the bathroom as quick as he could/dared. They made it just in time and Neku collapsed to his knees, emptying the contents of his stomach into the toilet with a sickening noise that almost made _Joshua _want to puke. He resisted the urge though, breathing through his mouth as he sat down beside Neku, running his hand over his Proxy's back.

The skin was slick with sweat, that much he could tell even through the material of his nightshirt, and his skin felt like it was on fire. He gasped and wheezed for breath, occasionally dry-heaving, his eyes shut tight and his entire body trembled. Even if Joshua didn't understand the reason, there was no denying one fact;

Neku was very ill.

Joshua briefly left Neku's side and moved to the shower, twisting the knobs so that it was set to lukewarm. Neku's apartment didn't have the space for a bathtub, so he'd have to make due with a shower. Once he was certain the water wouldn't burn them, he moved back to Neku's side.

"Hey, c'mon dear. Let's get you cleaned up, ne?" he chuckled out as he gently pulled Neku away, mindful of that he might still be a little sick to the stomach.

"Don't… call me… urgh…"

Neku coughed a little at the vile aftertaste in his mouth, but he didn't struggle as Joshua began to remove both his own and the redhead's clothes. He wasn't looking at Joshua in the least as the Composer of Shibuya pulled him up to his feet, removed the last articles of clothing he wore and then proceeded to pull him into the shower. As the first drops hit, Neku flinched and darted away, almost tripping over his own feet as Josh tried to keep him upright.

"C-cold…" he choked out. "Wa… water's t-too…"

Joshua frowned in slight worry. He'd checked earlier and the water was lukewarm. And even now, when he touched it, the water hadn't grown any colder. If this was 'cold' to Neku, the situation was worse than he'd originally thought.

"It'll warm up. C'mon. Let's go."

Neku still wasn't eager to get under the spray of water, but he allowed Joshua to pull him under, anyway. It was a little awkward for Joshua; normally it was Neku washing him, not the other way around, but the Kyuubi was clearly in no condition to get anything done. He wisely decided against washing the redhead's hair, focusing instead on his body and getting rid of all the sweat and its nasty smell.

Joshua didn't even understand _why_ he seemed so determined to help the fox. Wasn't it Neku who had made him miserable since over two months ago? He should be happy that Neku seemed to have gotten what he deserved for what he'd done.

But he couldn't help but remember that tiny figure from 18 years ago. That tiny little boy, sitting alone behind Hachiko, his eyes brimming with tears that flowed soundlessly, trying so very hard to be strong, those tiny hands reaching for Joshua's phone to talk to his mother, that small, sad voice crying out "love you lots", that small body, shaking softly in his grasp as they waited for the boy's mother to appear…

He just couldn't erase that sight from his memory, and so he silently washed his Proxy as he had so many times before.

Neku's body was trembling as he seemed to be struggling to stay on his feet. Somehow he managed, though, at least until Joshua had finished with washing him off. After that, he seemed to be gradually losing the strength to stay standing, so Joshua quickly dried him off and got him back to bed before he could completely tip over. Which he did anyway when they reached the bed.

Joshua watched the redhead for a moment, before he moved the blankets over the other man's body when he shivered. Neku's eyes had already fallen shut, and he seemed to be focusing entirely on his shivering in a lousy attempt to get warm, even though he was burning up when Joshua touched him.

'This is bad… I don't know what caused him to get _this_ sick… but this is bad news, even for daiyoukai…'

Sadly, Joshua had very little to no experience when it came to treating sick people. Dead people, sure. Sick people, not so much. Which left him with a slight predicament.

'…Well, he just threw up whatever he ate last night, so he's probably gonna be hungry for something… but what to make that won't upset his stomach?'

Joshua sighed, crossing his arms over his chest, deep in thought. Ramen was out, definitely. Mexican was also a definite no. What else was near? He tried to remember a place to get something half decent to eat, when he recalled the pharmacy located at Shibu-Q. Sure, it was quite some distance away from the apartment, but he recalled that that little store had just about anything for every type of illness imaginable (let alone items that would increase the strength of Players).

Crouching down, Joshua said softly: "Neku, I'll be right back. I'm just going to get something for your fever, okay?"

The redhead blinked wearily, seeming to take a long time with deciphering the question, before slowly nodding, after which he proceeded to go back to sleep. Joshua returned the nod even if Neku didn't see it and stood up, heading for the door quickly after getting dressed. After finding the spare key and pulling on his shoes, he moved to the door — and paused.

He was suddenly remembering the words of Lin and Ren. They claimed that Kamui was still out there, waiting for his chance to grab Joshua and end Shibuya, and that he was not to go anywhere without supervision. And while he still didn't fully trust them, he had no doubt that Kamui was still out there. He seemed like the type who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Perhaps it was better to stay inside…

"…" Slowly, Joshua frowned and he grabbed the doorknob and twisted, almost shouting the words Neku had always cried at him whenever they used the first level of their 'fusion attack': "Screw that!"

After locking the door, Joshua did a quick check on his powers, and was glad to note that the seal that would stop his powers wasn't active at this time. So he switched frequencies and rushed for Shibu-Q.

He was completely unaware of a pair of blue eyes watching his every move…

* * *

><p>'Cold medicine… probably won't work. This works for fevers, but it clearly says don't use if you have stomach problems. Urgh… <em>why<em> do people make things so complicated?'

Joshua was annoyed. The pharmacy really had a thousand-and-one items, but none of them seemed to be what he needed. And naturally, he was much too stubborn to go asking for help, from the clerk. He didn't come here as often as Neku had back during the Game, so he doubted the shopkeep even remembered him, meaning she would not be too thrilled to help him…

Just as he picked up another case and was about to check what it was for, a voice from behind him said: "…That works as a laxative."

Blinking, Joshua turned around, and was surprised when he saw a young man standing there, looking over the shelves behind the silverette. It took him only two seconds to realize that he remembered this man's Music, and another split second before he made the connection; he was Akataiyo Jin.

"Oh? You seem to have quite the knowledge of medicine," Joshua chuckled, hiding the fact that seeing him here was rather… unsettling for the Composer.

Since his parents had been killed, Jin had been a bundle of negative energy, but his Music had never ceased playing loudly, driving any Noise trying to cling to him away. Unlike Neku, he had not stopped living, but he simply ceased caring about anything… even himself.

"…whatever," Jin said simply, dropping down in a crouch and snagging up a pack of something.

Joshua considered his options for a moment, before he shrugged with a small smirk. 'Oh well. Why not?'

"Well, Mr. Specialist… what would you recommend for someone who's burning with fever and unable to keep anything in s stomach?"

Jin briefly glanced up, before he snorted and stood up. "You don't need medicine for that," he said simply. "Just keep him cooled and fix some porridge."

"…Porridge?" Joshua repeated with a small frown.

"Did I stutter?"

"Oh no. Thank you. You've been quite helpful," Joshua chuckled out, though inwardly, he was frowning.

Where was he supposed to find a place that made porridge? Were there even shops that sold that? If not, he'd have to look up how to make it…

What a pain…

"…you're one of Sakuraba's friends?" Jin asked suddenly.

Joshua blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"

The brunette nodded to Joshua—or his jacket, to be precise. "You're wearing the jacket Misaki gave him a few weeks back."

Blinking once more, Joshua looked closer at the jacket he was wearing. And sure enough, it wasn't the jacket he recalled having worn last time. The dark blue jean jacket he had on right now was a few sizes too big (how he had not noticed that earlier he wasn't sure), and while it looked like something easily bought from a store, the vibe he was getting from the material said otherwise. How had he made the error of grabbing one of Neku's jackets when he'd been heading out?

"Ah, yes. Woops," Joshua chuckled out. "Guess I wasn't looking when I grabbed a jacket before leaving. Hihi."

"…so he's ill?" questioned Jin solemnly.

"Hmm… yes, rather, I'd say." Sighing in exasperation, Joshua raised his hands in a shrug. "Oh well. Guess I have to start looking for a shop that sells porridge, hm? Been nice talking to you, Jin."

With that, Joshua made to walk away, only to get grabbed by his arm before he could and was then forcefully spun around.

"…how do you know my name?"

'…oh shit.' Joshua hadn't even realized that Jin had never actually told the Composer his name when he had addressed the boy by his given name. And Jin didn't seem the type to just let him go like that, meaning he had to think fast. And a quick once over of the boy in question gave him just what he needed. "Isn't that obvious?" he quipped cheekily. "It's sewn on your bag, is it not?"

Jin looked a little skeptical at Joshua's response, but he silently let him go anyway. Given by Jin's expression, it was clear he had lost interest in whatever else Joshua had to say, so the silverette utilized the chance to make a quick getaway.

As he stepped outside, though, he sighed as he realized he had another problem on his hands;

"Where am I gonna find a place that sells porridge? Sigh… couldn't they just make things easy for me just once?" Joshua mumbled to himself. Running a hand through his hair, Shibuya's Composer began to walk, scanning the stores nearby for any signs of where he could get what he was looking for.

'Hmm… perhaps Ken would know a place…'

* * *

><p>"Irashai! Oh! Well now! This's a surprise! What brings you here alone, kid?" asked the ever-friendly Doi Ken of Ramen Don.<p>

Joshua allowed a smile at the kind words. After the Game had ended, Joshua had often wanted to stop by, but with rebuilding Shibuya, he just hadn't had the time or the leisure at all. It wasn't until Neku had revealed himself as a daiyoukai that Joshua had walked into the small shop again. But even then, it had always been with Neku there (as the redhead often—literally—dragged him over there), hence the comment about him being alone, for once.

"Good day, sir. I'm afraid I've run into a minor… shall we say, predicament, and I was hoping you would be able to help me," Joshua said, almost casually.

"Hm? Well, sure. I'll certainly try, at least."

"Thank you. You see, my friend's, unfortunately, fallen ill. He's got this truly horrible fever and he's unable to keep anything with substance in his stomach." Joshua's words were well-calculated despite the slight bubble of worry building in his stomach, as he wasn't too willing to share too much about the whole situation. He'd share what he had to, and then be off after getting the response he needed. "I heard from someone on the street, by chance, that in such cases one should make the sickly a bowl of porridge."

"Hrrmm, I see," the man said with a deep, worried frown on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. "So you want to know where to get some for your friend, hm?"

"Yep. If you know anywhere I could get some, both myself and my friend would be much obliged."

Doi hummed softly in thought, eyes shut and his eyebrows furrowed. It was a look similar to the one he often had when he was trying to cook up a new recipe. After a few moments, though, the man sighed. "Sadly, I don't think there's really any shops that sell it. You'd have to make it yourself from scrap."

'…so much for that idea…'

"I see… well, thanks anyway."

However, before Joshua could leave, Doi called out again. "Now hold on one moment! Just because there's no shops that sell it, doesn't mean I can't help ya."

"…Wait… you can?"

"Heh. I still owe you kids one for way back. C'mon. Let's get to cooking."

"…Yes, thank you."

'Just a little longer, Neku… just hold on a little longer…'

* * *

><p>When Joshua left Ramen Don, it was with a plastic bag holding a carefully sealed, extra large, ramen cup. It was heavy, but Josh had expected that. Doi had also given him the recipe for porridge so he could make it on his own next time. While he was at it, he also explained <em>why<em> porridge was recommended for the sick; while it was bland and tasteless, it was mostly a liquid and even of you added a little extra water, the little flavor it had didn't change much, and it also became easier for the stomach to hold it because it had no real substance.

'Right… with that done, I should—'

"The heck's yer problem, brat?" exclaimed a loud voice, making Joshua blink before he shrugged it off as some rowdy drunkards picking a fight. And he was about to keep going, when a different voice spoke up. One that he recognized.

"…shut up… you're so noisy…"

As much as Joshua didn't want to, he stopped anyway and whirled around. 'Is that… Jin?'

Said brunette was, indeed, facing off with a gang of thugs, each one of them corroded by negativity, several dozen or so Noises clinging to them like a pack of parasites. However, the much younger man was unaffected, his hands in his pocket, his Music playing steadily and keeping the Noise away from him. The expression on his face was solemn, empty, as though he wasn't even really alive.

"Whuuuh? You tryin' to mess wit us?" the big leader of the group, possessed by a rather nasty mink-type Noise, demanded, before pulling out his hand from his pocket, producing a switchblade. "You say tha 'gain and I'll fuckin' rip ya voice out."

Now… any normal person, even police officers, would think twice before saying anything upon seeing the blade. Jin, however…

"…so… annoying… you're too noisy…"

Joshua had to give Jin points for his guts. He earned them for saying those words right to the guy's face and not flinching in the least.

Not that that would help him… those thugs were at least twice his size when it came to muscles, so Joshua wasn't expecting him to have much of a chance.

"You fuckin' brat!" the man shouted, stabbing forward.

Joshua could only stare as Jin's foot moved quickly to the side, and then pulled the boy to the side. The brunette's hand shot out, snagged the sleeve of the arm that had been thrown forward with the knife, then pulled the man further forward — right before Jin's remaining hand, curled into a tight fist, smashed into the man's jaw with so much force that he was sent flying for a short distance. But that hadn't been what had startled Joshua…

The moment that Jin had begun to move, his Music had spiked in intensity and Imagination had begun to circle around him. The punch to the man's jaw had also sent a rush of Imagination slamming headlong into the mink-Noise, making it screech before Erasure swallowed it up.

Now, Joshua knew that Imagination was needed in order to erase Noise when in the Reapers' Game, but he had never seen a single human alive who had been able to channel their Imagination enough for them to be able to erase Noise from within the RG. Technically, something like that was impossible. Not even Joshua had had such a control over his Imagination that he could erase Noise when in the RG; he really had to be in the UG if he had to erase Noise.

This kid was definitely something else…

Of course, the other punks didn't like when their boss was taken out so easily, so they all started to gang up on Jin. Sadly, their efforts were wasted as Jin darted aside from any swings thrown at him, in perfect sync with his own, by now vibrant, Music and managing to floor them with little to no difficulty by using their own momentum to his advantage.

The boy's Music reached its crescendo within three minutes, which was exactly how long it took him to floor each of the thugs, as well as erase all the Noise haunting them. Without a sign of fatigue or even regret, Jin merely adjusted his shoulder bag, making sure its strap didn't bite into his neck.

When Joshua finally snapped out of his little staring fest, he allowed a smirk and applauded, making Jin look over wordlessly.

"Very impressive," Joshua chuckled out. "Though I have to ask, what possessed you to beat these boys up, hm?"

Jin remained silent for a moment, before he said simply: "They were too noisy…"

Too noisy… was Jin talking about the normal kind of noise that everyone in the RG meant, or was he referring to the Noise of the UG?

'Oh well, whatever.'

"Oookay. If you say so. Now, if you'll excuse me," Joshua said with a small giggle, before he started on his way back.

"…"

Jin watched him go for a moment longer, before he turned his gaze to the side, his frown deepening into a glare as he spotted the dark figure that had been chasing after Joshua slinking back into the darkness of the alleyway. The brunette seemed to consider things for a while, after which he merely shook his head and began to walk after Joshua, making sure he was well out of range to prevent the silverette from noticing him.

* * *

><p>Joshua finally made it back to Neku's apartment, and he wordlessly opened the door, taking off his shoes as he stepped inside. As he made to head further inside, though, he also removed his—or Neku's, to be precise—jacket. However, he couldn't help but frown slightly as he glanced to the door. He wasn't sure why, but Jin had been following him ever since his fight with those thugs. He'd gone out of his way to keep Josh from finding out, but the boy obviously didn't know that Joshua was the Composer of Shibuya, and he knew all that happened behind his back.<p>

Or so he liked to believe… he hadn't felt Kamui's presence, at all. So either he had left, which seemed rather odd to the Composer, or Neku had spoken the truth when he said he could appear out of nowhere and hide his very presence from everyone.

Shaking the thought away, Joshua moved further into the apartment. 'First things first, I suppose. Let's just—'

However, as Joshua arrived in the kitchen, he almost dropped the bag he was carrying in surprise.

"Neku?" the silverette exclaimed in alarm, setting the bag down on the table and rushing to the redhead's side.

The Proxy was sprawled out on the ground, a trail of blood trailing out from his mouth and the remains of what Joshua suspected was a sandwich scattered over the kitchen floor. Given the situation, Neku had possibly attempted to eat something, but his stomach hadn't allowed him and forcefully rejected it again. And while Neku had obviously been unable to reach the bathroom, he had settled on the sink from the looks (and smell) of it. And after that, he'd simply collapsed.

"Damn… couldn't you wait just a few more minutes?" Joshua grumbled, reaching out and pulling Neku back to his feet. "C'mon, dear. Back to bed with you."

* * *

><p>'Urgh… dammit that… was a bad idea…' Neku struggled against awareness for as long as he could, very reluctant to return to the waking world. He was well aware that all that would await him was pain, anyway. 'Damn… I'm such an idiot… why did I have to go and do that?'<p>

When something cold pressed against his forehead, he moaned and turned his head to the side to avoid the cold. However, his face was turned back and the cold touch returned to his forehead, pressing down insistently. The cold seemed to slice through his skull, and it hurt like hell, making him want to move away, but something wouldn't let him.

"Now, now, would you calm down already, dear?" questioned a familiar, cheeky voice. "You're burning up, so we gotta make sure you don't fry that brain of yours now, do we?"

'Oh great…'

"Nrgh… Josh…" Neku managed to slur out, blinking open his eyes. "Don't… call me…"

"Yes yes, I know, dear," Joshua quipped cheekily. "Now just quiet down, kay?"

"…screw you…" Neku grumbled out softly.

Joshua giggled at the quip. "Yes, yes, love you too, dear."

If Joshua hadn't been keeping Neku's head in place, he might have missed Neku suddenly freezing up in something akin to alarm. Blinking, Joshua looked down to Neku's eyes, but the moment their eyes locked, Neku immediately averted his gaze to the side. That wasn't as surprising as the small tinge of red appearing on the man's cheeks. And Joshua was sure that _wasn't_ from the fever.

Smirking a little bit, Joshua asked: "Oh? Something wrong, _Nekky_?"

"…no…"

"…What, that's it?" Joshua asked, frowning a little in surprise. He had been expecting a little more of a response from the redhead, given that he had just used not one, but two nicknames of his Proxy that he really detested. But nothing. "No threats to my sanity for once? My, you must be more ill than I had originally thought."

"…"

Neku didn't give a peep this time. He only shut his eyes, as though to block out the Composer hovering over him, somehow. And Joshua, realizing he wasn't going the reaction he wanted from Neku, merely sighed.

"…You just stay put, alright? I'll be right back," the silverette said finally, getting to his feet. "Don't go anywhere… I mean it."

After a moment of waiting, Neku just gave a small hum. That was enough for the Composer, though, and he walked out of the room and back to the kitchen. He never noticed Neku watching him go with his eyes opened halfway.

When Neku was certain he wasn't nearby any longer, he groaned and pushed up slowly, wincing at the splitting pain his head as the towel that had been resting on his forehead fell into his lap. He was no longer sweating, but his body was still feeling much too hot to be good for him. Struggling against a whimper that was itching to find its way out his throat, Neku clutched his head and shut his eyes.

'Shit… why'd he have to go and say _that_? Now this is going to get that much more difficult…' The Kyuubi gave a heavy sigh. 'What am I supposed to do now? I never intended for it to go _that_ far…'

"You know, if your head's really _that_ heavy, I could always get you some supports," Joshua chuckled as he came back into the room.

Neku looked up with one eye dryly. "Shut up… and what the hell is that?" he added the question when he noticed the bowl of… something… that Joshua was carrying on a tray.

"Oh, just something to make you feel better, dear," Joshua chuckled out.

"Stop calling me that…" Neku mumbled as Joshua put the tray on his lap with a small smirk. The daiyoukai looked down to the liquid… solid… stuff, before he asked again: "What is this stuff?"

Joshua gave a small, exasperated sigh, before he said simply: "It's porridge, alright?" as he put a spoon in the bowl. "Now just quit whining and eat."

"…I'll pass…" Neku grumbled, lightly pushing the tray away, but Joshua merely pushed it back. "Joshua…"

"Don't be such a pickle puss. You have to eat just like everybody else, Neku," Joshua pointed out.

"…In case you haven't noticed… if I try to eat, it comes right back out."

"Yes, I noticed… smelled it, too… but that doesn't mean you can just starve yourself. So eat before I decide to feed you."

Neku glared at Joshua, one hand still gripping his head, before he snarled softly. He really wasn't in the mood to argue. Nor was his head…

"Guh… fine… just… shut up…" the redhead growled out, silently taking the spoon and scooping up some of the whitish liquid, blowing some of the steam away. Slowly, as though dreading what happened if he dared (which he probably did), Neku put it in his mouth, but he waited a full five seconds before he shut his eyes tight and swallowed.

Joshua, although looking calm, was anything but as the Kitsune swallowed the first spoonful. Despite Doi's words that it should be fine, he couldn't help but worry that it might have the opposite effect on someone like Neku.

However, after almost a minute, Neku blinked his eyes open again, and stared down at the bowl. And finally, he brought down the spoon again and scooped up some more.

"…it's edible…" the Kyuubi mumbled softly before he took another sip, but Joshua merely chuckled in response.

It was a familiar phrase from back in the Game to Josh, but he had a feeling he meant something else entirely this time. So what if he didn't say it? He hadn't really expected him to.

"You're welcome, _dear_."

"…shut up."

* * *

><p>"A-<em>ha!<em> I **knew** you weren't a bad kid," Ruka laughed as he approached Jin from behind.

Said brunette looked up from where he was sitting on one of the benches from where he was staring at the apartment building, looking at the silvery haired man dryly.

"Hey, now, don't give me that look." Ruka grinned and plopped down on the bench beside Jin. "Admit it; you actually _do_ care, don't ya?"

"…"

"Hellooooo? Earth to Jin. Contact," Ruka teased, waving a hand in front of his face, but Jin merely swatted the hand away. In response, Ruka pouted. "Now that was uncalled for!"

"…whatever."

Ruka pouted a moment longer, before he shrugged and sat back casually. The two didn't speak after that and merely sat there, both of them lost in their own thoughts for the moment. For the longest time, they remained where they were, and neither of the two seemed ready to move.

"…Don't you have school, by the way?"

"…I'm not going…"

"But you should… right? Otherwise you're never going to get a good enough job to support yourself, right?"

"…whatever."

Ruka, once again, sighed and leaned back. "Darn… you're one tough nut to crack…"

"…see if I care…"

Ruka only looked Jin's way, before he rolled his eyes. He looked like he wanted to say something but he refrained from doing so. Though he did hum quietly to himself, as though he was thinking very deeply about something.

"…why are you even here?" Jin asked suddenly without looking up.

"Hm? Oh, nothing big. I'm just looking for an old friend of mine, that's all."

"…hm…"

And that was that. Ruka sighed a little, shaking his head, but decided better of commenting on the boy's behavior.

It was just so contradicting all the time that it was putting the silverette through a loop.

"…you met Jin."

* * *

><p>Joshua blinked and looked over from the door. He'd been about to walk out and bring the now empty bowl of porridge to the kitchen, but Neku had called out to him before he could step through. Though why he decided to bring the brunette up, he wasn't sure.<p>

"Hm? Yes, I did. Why, is that a problem?" Joshua asked cheekily.

"…nah." Neku lightly shook his head where it rested on the pillow again. "…how was he?"

"Hmm… well rather quiet, but he strikes me as a good kid. Unlike someone I know," the Composer quipped casually, but they both knew who the silverette meant.

"…figures… he's one big mess of contradictions with too much Imagination than should be possible…"

Joshua arched an eyebrow and walked back over, setting the bowl on the nightstand before he sat down at the foot of the bed. "Oh? You can tell he has a lot of Imagination, then?"

"Yeah…" Neku said softly, not opening his eyes. "If you ask me, he's got potential…"

"You don't say…" Joshua murmured, one hand to his chin. "Potential for what, if I may ask."

"To be a Conductor. What else?" the Kyuubi grumbled.

Whatever Joshua had been expecting as an answer, that wasn't it. So was it any wonder he dropped his jaw and stared at the fox in surprise (though the redhead in question obviously didn't see it).

"…Why would you say that?"

"You still haven't appointed anyone, right?"

That he hadn't. But finding a proper Conductor was not something so easily decided upon. Megumi had been special at the time that Joshua took over from the previous Composer. Making him the Conductor had seemed to him like the best choice he could have made; Kitaniji Megumi really _did_ love Shibuya until (and after) his death, and nothing had been able to waver that adoration for the city that Joshua oversaw. Joshua had, at a time, even considered Megumi to be a possible friend… if the Conductor had not always feared a rebuke just because Joshua was the Composer.

Finding someone like him… was not easy.

"…Heh. why so worried, Neku? Afraid I might mess up without a Conductor?"

"Yes, actually."

At those words, Joshua felt a hint of anger flare in his chest, but he kept it in, somehow. "And why is that?"

"Your 'job', Composer, is to merely _oversee_ the Game," Neku pointed out. "It's a Conductor's job to actually _run_ the Game. You keep doing both, and you'll end up overworked and exhausted."

Well, when put that way…

Joshua knew the Kyuubi was right, of course; Joshua's primary concern with the Game was ensuring that the Players were halfway decent as well keeping tabs on the effects their actions had on the RG, rather than only the UG. It was the job of the Conductor to appoint Game Masters, calculate scores, and to ensure the Game ran smoothly. So at this point, Joshua was working for two people and, like Neku said, he'd been beginning to get overworked.

At least, he had been before the Kyuubi had revealed his true colors.

"Well, either way, he's still alive, so I can't just make him my Conductor like that."

"…One month, two weeks, four days."

"…? Excuse me?"

Neku wearily opened one eye and said simply: "That's when he's going to die. On the second day of November."

"…" For the longest time, Joshua couldn't find the words to say. Neku's words were both sudden and alarming, and they left the Composer fumbling for both his voice and the ability to speak. "…h… how did you… why… I…"

Just then, Neku's phone started ringing, the familiar tune of 'Twister' startling both males into whipping toward the offending item. Neku gave a groan and shut his eyes, rubbing his temples.

"That's probably mom… could you get that?"

"…yeah, sure…" Joshua murmured, getting to his feet and walking over to where the redhead had left his purple phone on the table. Anything to get out of that awkward situation.

As he picked it up, however, the digital screen on the top read "Dad". Shaking it off, he flipped it open and brought it to his ear. "Neku-kun's phone, good day."

"_Ah sorry if I'm interrupting but… is Neku in?_" asked the voice of a man on the other side, and even without scanning, Joshua could tell something urgent was up. However…

"Well, he's in… but I'm afraid he's not feeling 100% well," Joshua said with a small shrug, even if the other side couldn't see it.

"_Please, I need to speak with him, immediately! It's urgent!_"

"Okay, okay… one moment." Sighing, Joshua walked back to the bedroom and stood in the doorway. "Neku, it's your dad. He said it's urgent."

Neku groaned a little, his face twisted into the pillow. "Can't it wait until morning?"

"Nope, dear. He needs to speak with you now."

"…goddammit…" Neku grumbled, and while he didn't get up, he held out his hand for Joshua. The silverette leisurely dropped the phone in the outstretched hand, after which Neku pushed up on one arm and brought the purple object to his ear. "Yo dad… Wha… no, no, it's nothing serious… No really, I just caught a slight cold. I'll be fine… Dad, I'm not a child anymore… Anyway, what's so urgent that it just couldn't wait?"

Joshua merely chuckled as he leaned back against the wall, watching Neku converse on the phone, though he was clearly struggling to stay awake. However, just as suddenly, the redhead shot up straight on the bed, wide awake in an instant.

"What? When? … I'll be there in 20 minutes." With that, Neku flipped the phone shut and climbed out of bed, briefly hissing at the pain in his head. "Gawd… dammit!"

"Hey, now, where do you think _you're_ going?" Joshua demanded as Neku began to move to try and get dressed properly, the silverette forcing him back towards the bed. "You're in condition to go anywhere."

"Sh-shuddap! I know that, but I gotta!"

"And pray tell, why's that?"

"Because my mother's in the hospital suffering from a stroke! That's why!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: First off; I'd like to thank _Etoile Luna_ for the story "Proof of Life", which was the inspiration for the scene with Josh taking care of Neku (though in the story it was the exact opposite). It's more of a friendship fic between Josh and Neku, but it's interesting, and a little sad, too, if you think about it.**

**Anyway, yeah, Jin has quite the bit of fight in him for someone who says he doesn't care.** **That'll be explained later on.**

**Oh, and about the lack of updates... I had no access to my laptop due to a broken harddrive. But I'm back now, so I'll try to work on the next stage. I say "try", though, since I have a different idea in my head that ain't coming out, so I'm working that out (which will be a long NxJxN oneshot later) and try to work on the next stage in t****he meantime.**


	8. Stage 8 The Sound

_**Wishes**_

_**Stage 8 - The Sound**_

* * *

><p>Roughly ten minutes later, Joshua and Neku were sitting in the subway leading toward the hospital. Joshua had finally consented to letting Neku go out, but on the condition that Joshua went with him to make sure he didn't drop dead from his illness (which was obviously not a cold like Neku claimed). They sat on one of the benches, away from other people, which wasn't hard, since the tram was practically deserted.<p>

When Neku coughed again, Joshua glanced over briefly. The redhead was dressed in some simple jeans with a dark purple sweater, over which he also wore a coat and a blue scarf, the latter of which had been tucked into his jacket. Anyone looking at him could tell he was not feeling too great, and not just from his dress code; his face was flushed and he was shivering badly, as though he were freezing even though he was dressed so warmly, and he was huddled up in himself in an attempt to stay as warm as he could.

However, he said absolutely nothing about it, possibly because he refused to give in to his own weakness, which wouldn't surprise Joshua one bit. Despite that Neku definitely did not look too well, Joshua wasn't about to say anything just yet. Not until Neku spoke first, that is.

Of course, he didn't, and a few minutes later, they arrived at their stop.

As they stepped out, a rush of cold air assailed them and Neku immediately flinched with a hiss, pulling his jacket closer around himself. Joshua frowned slightly, before he said, doing his best not too sound _too_ concerned: "We can still go back home and get you back in bed, you know?"

"No… no way… we're already here and I'm not going back after getting this far…" Neku choked out.

"Sigh… okay, Neku. Just don't blame me if you collapse again."

They moved up the stairs leading up to the streets, and then started along the path to the hospital about 10 feet away. Once they were inside, Neku seemed to grow almost unnaturally tense, but he shrugged off whatever was bothering him and walked for the reception desk, Joshua following close behind.

"Excuse me…" he said to the woman behind the desk, making the girl look up curiously. "I… I was told my mother was brought here about 20 minutes ago… Would you be able to… to look up where she is right now for me?"

"Oh, yes of course. What's her name?" the girl, Maki, according to her nametag, asked kindly as she turned to her computer.

"Sakuraba Meiko," Neku said without a hitch.

Joshua watched the girl work for a moment, his hands stuffed in his pockets. After a moment, he began to pick up a slight wave of negativity from her, stemming from what he believed was sympathy, but he wasn't fully sure.

"Ah… she's still in the ER on the second floor. I can ask someone to take you there, if you wish…"

"Please do… I… I want to see her as soon as possible," the redhead said, before he had to cover his mouth to cough. "Sorry…"

"It's okay. One moment…" she picked up her phone and quickly dialed, then spoke to whoever was on the line. Finally, she hung up and said: "She'll be here in a few moments. You can wait over there if you wish. Would you like something to drink while you wait?"

"N-no, thank you…" Neku mumbled, looking away.

Joshua didn't blame him for being hesitant about the drink; he probably didn't want to risk losing what little food he had in his stomach again.

Solemnly, the pair walked into the waiting room to wait for their guide. As they sat there, however, Joshua realized that Neku was shaking, however subtly, and his eyes darted every which way, as though he was expecting something to jump out and bite him.

Then again…

Joshua looked around. He wasn't a big fan of hospitals, either, mainly because it was a prime breeding spot for Noise. The atmosphere was, more often than not, dreary, and the only ones who seemed capable of lifting the mood and clearing the Noise were the children who came to visit those who were ill. Whether people were aware of it or not, the Music that young children produced was often a good remedy against Noise possession. The children that came to visit their family or friends were, to many there, a godsend.

But there was another reason; a hospital was a place filled with death. No matter how much you fought to stop it, there would always be those who caved in under the strain of the negative energy of the building and perished.

Joshua really hated hospitals.

And Neku didn't seem to like them that much, either.

He sat there in silence, his eyes darting left and right at every sudden movement, and his shaking had yet to abate, for whatever reason. He was also keeping his hands interlocked, as though this gave him some sort of feeling of security.

After what felt like forever, a nurse finally approached them. "Sakuraba-san?" she asked politely, making Neku look up briefly, before he seemed to realize who she was and he stood up shortly after Joshua did.

"Is… is my mother alright?" he asked slowly, his voice sounding a little hoarse from all his earlier coughing.

She allowed a small smile. "She just came out of ER, but she's doing just fine. She's stationed in the ICU right now. I'll show you there."

"Thank you…" Neku got out with a small nod.

Joshua watched the redhead for a few moments, before he wordlessly followed after him and the nurse, silently hoping to get out of here ASAP.

* * *

><p>After a short walk down the hospital's almost endless white halls, they came to the ICU, and Joshua immediately spotted Neku's mother, laying on one of the hospital beds. She looked almost no different from when Joshua had first seen her 18 years ago, with the exception of a few wrinkles beginning to form by the edges of her eyes and mouth, though they were not so bad from a distance. Her dull orange brown hair had been cut almost entirely, bandages secured around her head, possibly to prevent the stitches from breaking. She had been hooked up to both an IV and an oxygen mask, though that didn't hide the sagging right corner of her mouth, making her seem almost tiny on the seemingly too large bed.<p>

By her side, clutching the hand not hooked up with the IV with both of his, was a man of roughly the same age as the woman, his dark red hair sticking out at the back at odd angles, with several longer strands hanging down his back and over his shoulders. He also had a few wrinkles, a little more obvious, but maybe that was because of the worried frown on his face, making his deep green eyes seem that much darker. He was dressed in simple black jeans and shirt, but he also wore black boots, as well as a long black trench coat, custom made by the looks of it.

The nurse left them shortly after, but Neku didn't move for a long moment, and when Joshua looked over, he noticed how the redhead's expression seemed almost… sad.

After a moment more, though, he took a deep breath and walked over to where his parents were. As he came in range, he said softly: "Dad…" causing the older man to look up in surprise. When he spotted Neku, he almost looked ready to cry, but, miraculously, he kept his emotions in check as he stood up from his seat and gently released his wife's hand, setting it down on the bed. In three long strides, the man had stepped around the bed and up to Neku, where he pulled the redhead into a hug, which was silently returned, no questions asked.

Joshua merely watched from the doorway, hands in his pockets and leaning with his shoulder against the doorframe. He had to admit; he could see the resemblance between Neku and the other redhead. They had the same sharp facial features when it came to their mouth, nose and eyes, but Neku's cheekbones were situated just slightly lower and his eyebrows were longer, as his dad's eyebrows seemed to stop above the center of his eyes, let alone they were thinner than Neku's. but there was something off about the man… though it was something Joshua couldn't understand.

"Sorry I'm late, dad…" Neku mumbled softly, his voice partly muffled by the other man's shoulder.

"It's fine… don't worry 'bout it," the man said softly, before he seemed to notice Joshua and pulled away briefly. "Hm? Friend of yours?"

Neku turned to Joshua and nodded in response to the question, before he gestured for the silverette to come over. Joshua hesitated briefly, but finally he walked over to them. "Dad, this is Kiryuu Yoshiya."

Neku's father looked to Joshua for a few moments, seeming to measure him up, before he allowed a small, slightly forced, smile. "Kiryuu-kun, huh?" he mumbled, before he held out his hand, which Joshua accepted with a small nod. "Name's Sakuraba Reachi. Good to meet you, though I wish we could've met under better circumstances."

Joshua returned the nod, and while the name actually made him wonder about where his parents got it from, he figured it was a question that could wait, for now. "Pleased to meet you as well, Sakuraba-san, though I share your sentiments about the conditions of our meeting."

Neku rolled his eyes briefly at Joshua's quip, but he said nothing of it, while his father only nodded. The man seemed almost weary, and Joshua could feel the waves of anxiety and sheer worry that almost made his Music sound like a some sort of cacophonic disaster, yet he somehow managed to keep it from going that far.

"Well, anyway, let's save catching up for later, arrite?" Reachi said with a small dismissive wave shortly after, as the three of them walked over to Neku's mother—Meiko, was her name, right?—who had yet to wake up, even after her husband had left her side for a moment to greet their son.

Again, Neku's expression turned almost sad, but he wiped it off as he took the seat his father had occupied earlier, reaching out to take his mother's hand. "Mom… mom, wake up…" he whispered, as his dad reached out and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, gingerly shaking her just a little.

Joshua stayed back for the time being, knowing that this wasn't something he should be intruding on. He merely watched as Meiko's eyelids twitched and then slowly fluttered open against the influence of the narcotics or whatever they had used during the surgery. When she finally managed, though her right eye was unable to open all the way, she attempted to smile when she spotted both her husband and her son, trying to speak, but her voice was weak and raspy, let alone she could barely form any proper words.

Reachi actually allowed himself a grin when she woke up and tried to speak, as he moved over and planted a small kiss on her temple, making her smile contently, even if the right side of her face wouldn't move to match the left side. Neku was also smiling, but there was still that far-off look in his eyes that belied his sadness, though you would really need to strain yourself to find it.

And as Joshua watched, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of childhood Neku must've had, and what it was that could've driven him to complete seclusion from everyone, especially with parents like his own. Despite that he was all-powerful as the Composer, he could not look into a person's past unless they had perished and agreed to enter the Game to find that which they cherished the most, and since he had not been in charge of the Game when Neku had played, he was still left in the dark about the matter. And he doubted Neku would tell him about it even if he asked…

After a moment more of watching the family's (rather onesided) conversation, Joshua quietly stepped out of the room. Just to give them some space and time to themselves. It wasn't because he was jealous, of course.

Composers do not get jealous, after all.

But despite that, Joshua could not lessen the pain he felt in his chest… nor could he stop the tears that rolled down his cheeks…

* * *

><p>It took almost half an hour (which was enough for Joshua to get himself back under control) before Neku finally exited the room, though he seemed surprised that Joshua was still there.<p>

"…I thought you already left," he murmured softly.

"Oh, I was debating…" Joshua said, a small cheeky smile on his face, "but I couldn't let you go home alone when you're sick, now can I? Wouldn't want something awful to happen to you, hm?"

"Shut up…" Neku mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets as he began to walk off, Joshua following after shortly.

"…So… how is she?"

"…Weary… but they say she'll be fine… though she's going to have trouble moving her right arm from now on…"

"Ah… I see… Was she right-handed?"

"Thankfully, no. She's left-handed, so that's not the biggest loss… but it's still not pleasant…"

"Hmhmm… So… when can she go home?"

"Few days… given that her veins don't burst again… which they shouldn't…"

Joshua merely nodded, but he said nothing else. He really had no clue what to say at this point, and Neku didn't seem ready to offer any other info on the matter unless asked. And Joshua had no idea of how much he wanted to know.

"…hey, Josh."

Joshua paused in surprise when he was suddenly grabbed by his wrist, before looking up to the redhead. He did not like that glint in Neku's eyes just then. "…Yes?"

"…come this way for a bit…" the Proxy said quietly, taking one of the side paths of the hallway and making his way through the practically empty halls.

No, Joshua didn't like this _one bit_.

He was used to Neku pulling him aside for some 'fun' by now, but he wasn't sure if he really wanted to do it here in a place that was steeped with death. The very idea of that made him feel… uncomfortable.

Before long, however, Neku stopped, though he did not release Joshua's hand. "…We're here."

"…? Here where?" Joshua queried.

Neku looked to Joshua for a moment, and the silverette was startled when Neku smiled at him. It wasn't his normal smile, however; this one seemed almost a little forlorn, but at the same time… incredibly satisfied. Instead of answering, Neku brought up his hand and pointed ahead of them, making Joshua look instinctively…

…and found himself staring through a large window into an even larger room, over a dozen small beds placed in a neat pattern throughout the entire room, each of them occupied by tiny figures that would probably fit into the palms of his hands.

"…the maternity ward?" the Composer of Shibuya asked slowly.

Neku merely chuckled as he released Joshua's wrist and looked ahead as well. "Cute, aren't they?"

"…I suppose," Josh murmured thoughtfully. He wasn't really into childrenthat much, but even the mighty Composer felt like he'd melt when looking at a few of the babies resting in that wide, spacious room.

"…Hard to imagine that every human starts out this tiny, huh?"

This certainly wasn't what Joshua had been expecting to hear from the Kyuubi, but he surely wasn't complaining. He chanced a glance over to the man in question, before placing his hands in his pockets again and turning his attention back to the slumbering infants. "Hmhmm… what makes it even harder is knowing some of these might end up becoming thieves, criminals, or even murderers…"

"…yeah…"

They stayed like that for several long moments, but finally Neku moved again; placing a hand upon the barrier of glass that separated them from the babies resting on the other side. And when Joshua looked over again, he was surprised at what he saw in the Kyuubi's eyes…

A strange kind of fondness mixed with something that could only be described as longing.

"Hmm… correct me if I'm wrong, dear, but I could almost swear you're looking to have kids of your own," Joshua chuckled out, twirling a lock of hair between his fingers.

"I am."

At those words, two simple words, Joshua froze. It wasn't the fact that Neku had completely _ignored_ the nickname that he loathed, but the fact that the daiyoukai had just admitted to wanting kids of his own (a concept that slightly scared Joshua, to be brutally honest).

"…y-you do?"

"Yeah…"

"…if… if I may ask, why?"

"…Well…" Neku paused briefly, as though thinking about how to properly phrase what he was thinking. "I suppose… because they… well.. they're so tiny…" Neku finally breathed out. "Just look at them… arms, legs and a head… yet they can't walk, they can't really hold on to anything, and they can't talk… They need someone to look after them no matter what, because they can't do it themselves." At this point, he paused again, and a small smile played along his face that was… simply breathtaking. "They don't even know what it means to trust someone… and yet they have no choice but to trust the adults around them to take care of them… until the time comes when they can care for themselves…"

Joshua could only stare at the redhead, but Neku didn't seem to notice as he finished with;

"I want to know what it's like… to raise a child that you helped bring to life…"

Joshua had never seen Neku like this, not even during the time when his memories of being the Kyuubi had been locked away. There had always only been so few things that could make Neku crack a smile, and even those smiles were never anywhere close to that fond smile that was now playing along his lips. It was almost as if he was someone else entirely…

Suddenly, Neku blinked, his expression fading in the same split second, as he turned his head. When Joshua looked over as well, he both saw and heard what was happening; a group of doctors and nurses was running down the hall, pushing the hospital bed of a woman who, judging from both her facial expression as her swollen belly, had just gone into labor.

"Huh… speak of the devil…" Joshua chuckled. "Why don't we go see how this one pans out, hm? Just for fun."

"…no."

Joshua could only blink. "'No'?"

"…I don't want to see… I don't even want to _hear_ what's going to happen…" was all the redhead said, as he quickly spun around and made to walk away.

"Whoa now, Neku!" the Composer called out, grabbing hold of Neku's wrist. "I know that labor takes a few hours usually, but _you_ were the one who said you wanted kids, right?"

"That has nothing to do with it! Josh, let me go!" Neku demanded, trying to pry the Composer's fingers loose, but his illness made it a bit difficult on him.

Joshua sighed theatrically. "Really now, Neku. Nothing bad's going to come out and bite your head off. Now come on," he said, starting down the hall and practically _dragging_ Neku with him.

"Ah…! Joshua! Stop already! I-I don't…!"

"Oh quit acting like a brat, will you? How old are you, really?"

"You don't understand! It won't go the way everyone wants!"

"…? What are you talking about?"

"I-I'll tell you later! Just please! Don't make me go there!"

Joshua knew that Neku _never_ actually begged for anything, meaning that something was seriously up, but he couldn't understand what. At the same time, though, he wanted to get back at the Kyuubi, still, and this seemed to work just fine.

"Hmm… Nope. If you can tell me later, you can also tell me now," he said simply, still pulling Neku along with him.

"Joshua! Let me go!" Neku cried out, trying to somehow wriggle his hand free, but Joshua only held on tighter.

"C'mon, Neku, don't be such a-"

But before Joshua could finish what he intended to say, a scream echoed through the hall… but it wasn't the scream of a baby.

Almost immediately in response, Neku's hands shot up to his head to cover his ears and he screwed his eyes shut. The scream turned into something akin to a horrified wail that was almost animalistic, and it was a sound that sent chills down Joshua's spine and made his skin crawl. It was a sound that he couldn't place right away, but he knew one thing for sure; he wanted it to stop and he wanted it to stop _now_.

And he wasn't the only one…

"No… no no NO!" Neku wailed out and just as suddenly spun around and bolted down the hallway.

"He-hey! Neku!" Joshua cried out, hurrying after him quickly, but in a way, he was glad to be away from that sound.

That horrible, horrible scream of a mother losing her baby…

* * *

><p>Joshua knew that Neku was fast, what with him being a daiyoukai, after all, but he had not expected Neku to outrun him this quickly. Thankfully, he had a rough idea of where the redhead was going, which was most likely away from the noise and out of the hospital as fast as he could. Which was darn fast…<p>

The problem came, however, when Joshua found himself outside. He remembered then that Neku could have easily made it back to the subway before Joshua had even exited the building, but would he have?

Calling his name would have no effect, he knew; even if he was in range, the redhead would simply ignore his call.

'…call… wait a moment…!'

Allowing a smile at his own idea, Joshua reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. After a brief moment of scanning the few contacts he had listed, he selected Neku's number and pressed dial.

'And now I wait…'

"_Caaalling  
>You hear the caaalling<br>Caaalling…_"

"Found you," Joshua chuckled after he had walked into the small park set up just outside of the hospital, from where he had heard the familiar ringtone come from.

He hung up once he spotted Neku sitting with his back pressed up against a tree, his knees pulled up with his arms wrapped loosely around them, his head hung low to hide his eyes in the shadows of his bangs. And Joshua, once again, couldn't help but recall Neku from 18 years before, sitting just the same against the back of Hachiko, sad, alone, and abandoned.

Slowly, he walked around the tree and then dropped down so that he was kneeling in front of the young man, who, given how he was sitting, looked more like a small boy than a man. Joshua waited for his presence to be acknowledged, but Neku showed no signs of that he knew Josh was there.

"…Neku?" he called out quietly, reaching out and running the back of his index finger along Neku's cheek – and he almost withdrew immediately when something wet touched his finger. When he realized what it was, though, he reached up to the corner of Neku's eye to wipe away the tears that were steadily rolling down. Neku made no noise, but the tears were coming nevertheless, and they didn't seem inclined to stop any time soon. "…Neku… it's okay…"

But even as he said that, he knew it wasn't true. It wasn't okay. In fact, it was FAR from okay…

Neku probably knew that Joshua was only trying to cheer him up, since he didn't even respond to the words. He just sat there, unmoving and unresponsive. Even when Joshua moved his hand to rest it on top of Neku's head, there was no response whatsoever, whereas normally he would've attempted to bite his hand off.

"Neku…"

Joshua sighed, briefly shaking his head before he moved forward and settled besides the redhead, placing his arm across the other's shoulders. While there was still no reaction, at least the Proxy allowed himself to be pulled sideways so his head landed on Joshua's shoulder. Of course, he kept his gaze aimed downward, but that was fine, for now.

And for a long time, that was how they stayed…

"…hate… noise…"

Joshua blinked and looked to where Neku's face was resting against his shoulder, though still shrouded by his own hair. "Excuse me?"

"…I hate that noise…" Neku repeated softly. "She… she'll never know… never know that child's voice… its laughter… its tears… nothing… She'll never know… what it's like to raise that child…" A powerful shudder ripped through Neku's body just then that was impossible to miss, especially if you were as close as Joshua. "That sound… it makes me _sick_…"

The Composer of Shibuya had no idea what to say. What could he say? Even if that woman managed to move on, she'd never forget about how she lost her first child, how she was unable to save her child, her first baby. Even if she got another child, she would never forget… never…

So he said nothing and instead lightly squeezed Neku's shoulder, offering him his support even if he didn't know what words would make things better again. Though Joshua had a sinking feeling in his gut that there weren't any that could make this any easier. And if he had to make a guess… those words would never come to anyone, either.

* * *

><p>If Joshua had been paying any attention to his surroundings, however, he would've noticed that they were being watched from halfway across the park. The person watching them was currently gritting his teeth and clenching his fists so tightly that blood was steadily dripping to the ground from where his nails had dug into the skin. Icy blue eyes were narrowed angrily, the pupils slitted down to paper-thin lines, and, were it humanly possible, he would have burnt Joshua until not even ashes remained.<p>

He looked ready to pull out one of the katana's he carried with him, but just as he was about to, a dog's bark snapped him out of his little anger induced stupor. Though still angry, as the barking came ever closer, he knew that he had no choice and ran away, throwing back an angry glare as he did.

* * *

><p>"Bark bark bark!"<p>

"Hey, Risa! Shush already!" Eri hissed out, trying to keep the madly barking shiba inu quiet.

She hated having to walk Risa; she was the family dog and Eri would normally leave walking her to her brother, but since the brat had sprained his ankle during Gym class last week, that job had been passed on to her. She was almost certain he had planned it so that she couldn't meet with Shiki, since he never did like how the two of them were best of friends. And if she didn't know any better, she'd say Haku was trying to separate the two girls in more ways than one.

"Ugh, Risa, we're at a hospital park! You're supposed to keep quie-hm?"

Eri blinked when she spotted a certain pair of young men propped up against a tree some distance away. And it only took her a moment to grin and start over to them, the overenthusiastic copper-furred dog she was walking hurrying after her happily with her curled tail wagging.

"Neku! Joshua!" she called out (quietly and only when she was within range).

Joshua looked up first, though he almost appeared to have been startled awake. Neku took a little longer.

"…Oh, Eri," the redhead got out, reaching up briefly to rub at his eyes. "Wasn't expecting you here. You doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. How 'bout y-"

"BARK BARK BARK!"

"Gah! Risa!" Eri yelped out, quickly snapping her dog's muzzle shut while also keeping her from lunging for Neku. "Be quiet!"

"Hihi… having some trouble, Eri?" Joshua asked, and Eri shot him a look.

"Unfortunately… So sorry, Neku. I know I said I'd said that I would work on it, but…"

"It's okay, Eri," Neku said with a small smile. "I guess I'm just not popular with dogs that much…"

Eri offered another apologetic smile as she finally managed to get Risa to quiet down, though she was still growling in warning. "Maybe… But what brings you out here? Is someone you know in the hospital?"

At those words, Neku winced and lowered his head for a moment. "…my mother suffered a stroke a while ago…"

"Urk! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! Th-that was insensitive of me…"

"Don't worry about it," the redhead said with a small smile of his own. "She's doing better. The doctors say she'll be okay in a few days' time."

"Really? Okay… phew…"

Joshua didn't mingle in the conversation at the moment, seeming to be content enough just listening. Of course, that wasn't meant to last, and soon enough, the silverette smirked cheekily and quipped: "So, Eri… I heard you and Shiki were planning to go on a special trip together soon."

"Eh! Where did you—Neku, you told him, didn't you?"

"Hey, everyone else already knew, so what's the big deal?" Neku asked casually with a light shrug of his shoulders.

"True… though you shouldn't just tell that to everyone you meet, you know?" Eri grumbled, before she shook it off. "Anyway, yeah. We're hoping to go around the end of the year."

"Oh? Going for the winter selection then, are we?"

"Hmhmm! Plus, there's several places there we _really_ want to see! …Oh! I almost forgot! Neku, we were gonna call you later today, but since you're here anyway… do you want to come with us to karaoke tomorrow night?"

Neku blinked curiously, before he allowed a small smirk. "Yeah, sure. You're really set on getting me out of breath, aren't you?"

"We'll get you this time, mister! Just you watch!" Eri said with a smirk of her own playing on her face.

"Heh. You're free to try," the other redhead said simply.

"Just watch us! Oh! Joshua, why don't you come, too?"

"Hm? Heh… well, sure, why not?"

"Great! We'll see you boys at the usual place at 8 tomorrow! Kay?"

"Sure thing."

"Hihi. You got it."

"Cool! Well, I better get home before mom and dad start to think I drowned Risa… See you tomorrow! Ja ne!"

Both boys waved after her as she hurried off again, small smirks on their faces, though those fell once she was out of range.

Neku took a deep breath and let it out slowly, reaching up to run a hand through his hair.

"…You okay now?"

"…for now…" Neku mumbled – right before he had to cough. "Urgh… dammit…"

Joshua sighed. "Well, c'mon. Let's get you home then."

Neku looked over briefly, before he nodded and allowed Joshua to help him up to his feet. The redhead allowed Joshua to lead him back to the subway so they could head back to Neku's apartment. As they went though, there were several other people who were in the middle of walking their dogs… and not one of them failed to bark at Neku and try to lunge for him.

"My goodness… All these puppies trying to bite you. Hihi… you really _aren't_ popular with dogs, are you?" Joshua giggled.

"…they can smell what I am."

"Hm?"

"Kitsune are born shape shifters and yet… we can fool humans into believing we're like them… but we can't fool a dog's nose," Neku said solemnly without looking at the Composer.

Joshua had nothing to say to that. Of course he knew that; Kitsune only had two real known weaknesses, after all, and that was alcohol and dogs. Alcohol makes it difficult for the Kitsune to maintain their human from, whereas dogs can sniff them out and warn their human masters of that they're not dealing with humans.

As they got on the subway, Neku coughed again, so violently, in fact, that Joshua feared he would cough up his own lungs. However, he knew that it wouldn't do him any good to address this matter, since Neku would just shrug it off. They managed to find some seats, which was good, since Joshua knew all too well that it would get very crowded soon enough.

"…hey, Josh…"

Joshua blinked in surprise. He hadn't been expecting Neku to speak up, at least not at this point. "Yes, dear? What's wrong?"

"…the Bible says that… if a baby dies when it's not baptized… it goes to hell anyway… even if it's a miscarriage or stillborn… is that true?"

At those words, Joshua's eyes widened in alarm, and he managed to stifle the gasp trying to wrench itself loose from his throat. The fact that Neku had still been thinking about that shouldn't have surprised him, but it had, not to mention the fact that he seemed to fear (very much so) what had become of the baby's soul. And as much as he wanted to say that it wasn't true, in all honesty, he didn't know. He really didn't know…

"…I don't know, Neku… I think… well, I hope not. That would be cruel, after all… to punish a child for something it couldn't have prevented. Like you said earlier; they can't do anything on their own… Without adults… they're completely helpless…"

Surely… surely the Angels weren't _that_ cruel… to punish a babe for something it could not have prevented? Surely…

"…oh…"

Joshua winced; the tone with which Neku had just said that one word was… in a way… disturbing. It wasn't normal for Neku to behave like this…

So, Joshua did the only thing he could in this situation; he pulled out his phone and called Sanae.

"_Yo, Boss. 'Sup?_"

"Oh, not much, Sanae," Joshua said, doing his best to sound casual and well aware of Neku's eyes watching his every move. "I was wondering if you could enlighten me about something I've been curious about, that's all."

"_Oh? Like what?_"

"Well… say, if a woman gives birth to a child, but the child is stillborn… what happens to the baby's soul, exactly?"

"_Hmm… well, since babies don't actually have a 'criminal record' or any real… personality yet, they're retrieved by the Angels and sent to be born again at the soonest possible chance._"

Joshua resisted the urge to sigh in relief, but he gave Neku a small, reassuring smile that seemed to get the message across as the Kitsune allowed a fragile smile of his own. "Really? That's good. I was almost worried that they'd be sent to hell."

"_For something they couldn't have prevented? That's harsh. I dunno who it was that came up with __**that**__ theory, but Heaven isn't so cruel._"

"Hmhmm. Good to know. Thanks, Sanae. Oh, and I might be out for a few days. Just so you know."

"_A'ight, Boss. Glad to be of help._"

Wordlessly, Joshua clicked his phone shut again, and once he had, he sighed heavily in obvious relief. He turned to Neku again, and smiled a little brighter. "They're set aside until they can be born again."

"Ah… I… I see… that's good…" Neku murmured, smiling briefly, before turning away again.

Joshua merely shook his head and reclined back…

"…so _he's _already reborn, too, then, huh…?"

…until Neku mumbled under his breath and drew the Composer's attention. "Hm? 'He'? Who do you mean, dear?" he queried cheekily.

Neku, once again, ignored the nickname, and took a long time to respond, but when he did, Joshua froze up.

"The boy who should have been called 'Sakuraba Neku' in my stead…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Right, a few things; both of Neku's parents are actually based off of other (video-game) characters. His mother is based off of "Sakine Meiko", a fanmade Vocaloid with MEIKO as base. As for his dad… well, why don't you guys guess?**

**And about the thing with unbaptized babies going to hell… I'll be honest, the first I heard of this was when watching "Dante's Inferno", and I couldn't help but thinking "That's too cruel!"**

**Anyway, next chapter I'll get back to the 'action'… which includes a certain pair of doubles.**


	9. Stage 9 The Show

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 9 - The Show<strong>_

"_The boy who should have been called 'Sakuraba Neku' in my stead…_"

Joshua frowned as he sipped his tea gingerly, staring out of Neku's apartment window, unsure what to make of Neku's words as he watched the rain fall harshly against the window. They kept repeating in his head over and over again, and while he could guess, he wasn't sure if what he was thinking was correct or not, and he really didn't like to make rash assumptions.

He looked back toward the Kyuubi's bedroom and frowned. After returning to the apartment, Neku had gone straight to bed and dove under the covers falling asleep not even so long after. He hadn't responded to Joshua's questions about the nature of his statement in the slightest.

As he sat there, though, a thought suddenly came to him. '…Shouldn't Neku be at school, actually? The alarm clock said it was Saturday, so he should've-'

"Tadaima!"

Joshua almost jumped out of his seat when the front door was shut only a few seconds after the call came. And barely two seconds after, Joshua blinked. 'Wait… that voice was… huh?'

As he stood and turned around, it was just in time to see a single person—obviously male—take off his shoes at the entrance after setting aside a hefty looking shoulder bag and a grocery bag. The man released a heavy sigh once he had done so, and then reached up to remove the hood of his raincoat.

"Phew… I suppose summer is finally over…" he murmured, just before he glanced up solemnly, a pair of white eyes with slitted pupils locking onto Joshua's.

The man had the same, spiked red mane as Neku did and for all accounts and purposes, it really could have been him, but his eyes were a stark white, the only exception being the pupils. He was even dressed in some of Neku's J&M clothes. When he saw Joshua, he looked almost surprised, but the expression was gone soon enough, and this left him with a look that was almost blank.

"…Oh," he said suddenly, his voice calm and almost casual. "I was not expecting to see _you_ here…"

Those words, for some odd reason, caused Joshua to frown darkly. There was just something about this guy that seemed… off. And it wasn't just the fact that he looked so much like Neku… though that was also rather disconcerting.

"…who are you?" the Composer demanded icily.

"Ichi," the redhead said simply, not seeming the least bit affected by the Composer's tone. He looked around for a moment, before he turned back to Joshua. "I assume that Master is asleep already, then," he said solemnly, and walked further into the house and headed straight for the kitchen, carrying the grocery bag with him.

"He-hey wait just a-"

"You can act as though I am not here," Ichi said simply, beginning to stash away all the groceries he had brought. "Though if my presence upsets you so much, I will leave once I finish here."

Joshua frowned in obvious suspicion. This… "Ichi"… he acted as though he had every right to be here. Like he actually _belonged_ there. This fact made Joshua want to frown angrily, though as it was, he only clenched his fists to the point where he almost drew blood.

"…Ah, right," Ichi said suddenly, producing a small package covered in plastic, small drops of condensation rolling along the material. Without a second longer wasted, he tossed it toward Joshua, who instinctively caught it in both hands - and almost let it go again with a startled cry when the freezing cold package touched his skin. "Could you take that to Master? He was expecting it."

After he had adjusted his hold on the small object, Joshua once more suppressed a frown. "Master, you say… and who _is_ this master of yours, hm?"

Ichi looked to Joshua as though he were stupid, before he rolled his eyes and went back to putting the groceries away. "The one you all call Sakuraba Neku. Whom else? Now could you please hurry before the pop melts?"

'…why is this guy calling Neku "Master"?' Joshua wondered with a small, confused hum, even as he headed toward the Kyuubi's bedchamber, if only to get away from Ichi. 'Is this guy another Kitsune? Or…'

Sighing slightly in annoyance after he had shut the door behind him, the Composer rubbed his temple, before he looked over to the slumbering daiyoukai. He had not moved an inch since Josh had left the room about three hours before ('Why am I still here anyway? Oh right… because this guy's worried "big brother" is out for my blood…'), with his hands resting along his stomach. Curiously, his hands formed a diamond shape over his stomach.

"…Well… may as well face the music…" he murmured, walking over and plopping down on the edge of the bed. As he sat there, he frowned as he watched Neku. If he couldn't hear the Proxy's distinct Music, he'd almost swear he wasn't breathing. "…Nekuuu. Wakey wakey, dear. You slept long enough," Joshua cooed.

Shockingly, this got absolutely no response from the slumbering Proxy, whereas normally it would've at least made him twitch. Then again, that was always when he was awake.

Shaking his head with a sigh, Joshua reached out and took hold of Neku's shoulders, lightly shaking him. "Neku, rise and shine, dear."

Neku groaned briefly as his breathing became more noticeable, and then he blinked his eyes open. "…wha now?" he slurred out.

Joshua didn't even bother resisting the urge to giggle when Neku sleepily rubbed at his eyes with his fists. And even then, it took Neku several moments before he could look at Joshua properly.

"Sorry to disturb your beauty sleep, dear," the Composer chuckled out, earning him a sleepy "don't call me that". "However, your little 'servant' requested I bring this to you," he finished, holding up the plastic wrapper.

"…my serv… …oh, Ichi…" Neku rubbed his temple briefly even as he snagged the small item from Joshua's already loose grip. "Is it so late already?" he mumbled as he pulled carefully on the plastic wrapper and produced a light blue-colored rectangular popsicle from it. "Oh well…"

And without another word, the daiyoukai popped the ice-cold treat into his mouth, while Joshua only watched curiously. The redhead seemed to have no intentions of explaining anything about Ichi, at all, and seemed to be more than content to just sit there, eating a popsicle… sucking it… licking…

Joshua almost immediately gave himself a firm and hard mental slap when he found where his thoughts were going. Shaking the matter off, he decided to pop the question that was weighing down his mind.

"Say, Neku, I was wondering…"

"Hmhmm?" Neku hummed around his popsicle.

"What precisely did you mean when you mentioned 'the boy who should have been called 'Sakuraba Neku' in your stead'?"

For once, there was no immediate response from the youkai (maybe because he was more focused on his ice-cream). After a few moments however;

"Sakuraba Neku was stillborn."

* * *

><p>"There!" Ichi exclaimed as he closed the cabinets with a soft slam. "That's the last of the groceries… now I just have to work on homework… oy."<p>

Just as he made to head for the living room, though, the front door opened up and a chipper voice called out: "Tadaima."

Ichi blinked once, then looked outside—where it was still raining—and finally sighed, grabbing a towel and heading for the entrance. "You're late, Hachi," he said simply as he tossed the cloth at the silverette who had just closed the door behind him, hitting him right in the kisser.

"Oomph! Hihi. Happy to see you, too, dear," Hachi giggled out after he had lowered the towel enough to be able to see Ichi.

"Don't call me that… and keep it down; your source's still here," Ichi snarled as he went to the living room.

Hachi blinked as he dried his hair whilst taking off his shoes. After wrapping the towel around his head like a turban, he started walking after Ichi curiously. "He is? Whatever for? I was assuming he would leave soon."

"That makes two…" Ichi mumbled as he pulled out his books. "I suppose something happened.

"Hmm… and what do you think happened?" Hachi crooned in Ichi's ear as he leaned over the back of the couch.

"…Not now, Hachi. Later."

"Awww, but whyyyy?"

"Because I have homework to finish."

"But tomorrow is Sunday. You can do it tomorrow."

"Hachi, shut up."

"…hihi."

"Gah! HACHI!" Ichi cried out when the sopping wet towel was deposited on his head.

"Hihi. Woopsie."

"Oh that's _it!_"

* * *

><p>"…s… stillborn…?"<p>

Dear god, how Joshua _hated_ hearing that word. He wished it had never been needed at all, but, unfortunately, that was something that not even a Composer could change.

"…Twenty years ago… Sakuraba Meiko was brought to the local hospital to give birth to her first child…" Neku said, not looking up to face Joshua at all and only occasionally licking his popsicle. "Back then, they were all sure she'd be okay… they always do. And yet…"

Joshua waited, but when nothing was said, he asked slowly: "How…?"

"…He wouldn't start breathing on his own…" Neku whispered. "Once the navel-cord was removed… his breathing wouldn't start… no matter how often he was hit…"

"…So you took on his shape… why?"

"Wrong."

"…hm?"

"I didn't 'take his shape'… I 'became' him."

"…isn't that the same thing?"

"No. Not quite. Taking his shape insinuates that what you see now is only an illusion. A simple matter of shape-shifting. No… I transferred my disembodied soul into his body… and I forced his lungs to work as they should. I forced him to breathe… and thus I _became _'Sakuraba Neku'."

Joshua wasn't sure how to respond to that. If what the Kyuubi was saying was true, then that meant that from the very beginning, Sakuraba Neku had always been an all-powerful daiyoukai. There had never been another Sakuraba Neku; just the one sitting before him right then.

Which meant…

"…So that's what you meant…" he murmured absently.

"Yeah… the soul that _should_ have been in this body… has probably already been reborn by now… oh snaps!" Neku hissed suddenly as he realized that his popsicle was melting all over his hand. "Dammit…" he snarled, switching hands and quickly licked up the steady stream threatening to cover his left hand as well before moving to his right hand to properly clean his limb.

As he did, however, he seemed to completely miss the breathless gasp Joshua let out upon the sight. He couldn't look away from Neku's mouth as he licked and sucked on his own hand in an attempt to get all of the liquid that had dribbled onto his hand.

It actually reminded him of…

* * *

><p>"<em>Ahh…! N-Nek-uuuaah…!" Joshua wailed, his hips instinctively trying to snap up to meet Neku's ministrations, but the Proxy's right hand kept him in place, while his other hand kept the Composer's hands secured in place. He was <em>_**so**__ glad that his voice didn't overshoot Shibuya's almost endless stream of music, because he didn't even want to think of what people—or worse, Reapers—would think if they saw them like this; with him pressed up against a wall in an alleyway and Neku's mouth wrapped tightly around Joshua's throbbing manhood as he moved in a steady rhythm—let alone he was __**humming**__ while doing so. "Ne-Nekuuu! P-please n-no! W-we're in the middle of th–__**oohh**__–the st-streeeet! If-if so-someone sees—"_

_Joshua broke off with a shrill cry as Neku lightly bit down, before moving back and releasing Joshua with an audible pop. "If someone cares to watch, then let 'm," he crooned, his eyes darkened by lust, the vertical pupils filling almost the entire iris, all while still rubbing the silverette's cock. "I'm sure we're not the first to have sex in some alley, after all."_

"_T-that's not… **aah!**"_

"_Mmm… you talk too much, Yoshiya. Besides, you've been hard since the moment I dragged you in here. So just shush and enjoy."_

"_Ne… Nek… kuuuuu-**hah!** Oh god…! Ah… hah… hah… Ah!"_

_Joshua tried to object, but the fox had already gone back to sucking him off, drawing loud, though slightly muffled, moans from the Composer. As much as he hated to admit it, even to himself, the thought of someone looking into the alley and seeing them like that aroused him, and not just a little bit, either. Josh tried to keep his voice down by biting his lip, but he was not having much luck with it, since Neku knew exactly what to do to get Joshua to moan or whimper._

"_Hah… hah… hah… N-Nek…uuuuuh…!" Joshua struggled against the wave of pleasure shooting up his spine, but it was no use and he soon released with a strangled cry, body tensing against the wall before he slumped down into Neku's arms. And once he had gotten his bearings back, he almost whimpered as Neku absently busied himself with licking all of Joshua's cum off his fingers, though the look the Kyuubi sent him set his blood on fire before it had the chance to cool._

* * *

><p>Joshua quickly shook his head, and he was glad he had one of his legs crossed over the other so that Neku (hopefully) wouldn't notice his growing 'problem'. Thankfully, though, Neku seemed to be more interested in finishing his pop than he was in Joshua at the moment.<p>

So, taking the opportunity, Joshua rose from the bed and headed for the door. "I'll get some tissues for that," he said as an excuse, throwing a small smirk over his shoulder. "Don't wipe your hands off on the bed now, dear."

"What do I look like? Ten years old? And stop calling me that!" Neku snarled out.

'Heh… looks like he's back to his normal "cheery" self,' Joshua thought absently as he walked through the door, quietly shutting it behind himself as he went.

"_Ow!_" Joshua blinked when he heard the hushed exclamation, which was shortly followed by a whispered: "Was… was that necessary Ic-_cchhiiiii!_ Oh goddess _stop_ that!"

Now if Joshua had been wise, he would have headed for the kitchen, grabbed the tissues and walked back to Neku without ever sparing the source of the noises a glance. Unfortunately, curiosity was not something Joshua experienced a lot, which made it hard–if not downright impossible–to ignore what he had just heard. So instead of doing what he _should've_ done, he did the one thing he should _not_ have done; turn his head and search for the source of the sound.

And what he found caused his body to freeze in place.

Pressed up against the wall by a crouching Ichi was someone who Joshua could swear was a perfect replica of himself, down to the clothes he was wearing (with the pants and underwear laying by his foot), one of his hands clinging to Ichi's shoulder and the other held in a fist by his mouth, which he was currently biting down on to the point where he almost drew blood. His eyes were screwed shut and his body trembled dangerously, as Ichi was holding his right leg up and off the ground, making the silverette struggle to maintain balance on only one leg.

But the thing that had frozen him in place, was what Ichi was currently doing; which, coincidentally, was the exact same thing that Joshua had been recalling only a few moments ago.

Ichi hummed almost impossibly loud, before he moved back with a wet slurping noise, a small smirk playing on his mouth as he licked his lips. "Didn't I warn you to keep quiet, Hachi?" he crooned softly. "If Master hears us, we'll _both_ be in trouble, ne?"

"Hah… hah… ea-easy for you to—_ahngh!_" the silverette–Hachi–wailed out, though he managed to cover the noise by biting down on his own fist. "A-ahnnnn…! I-Ichiii… d-don't do that!"

"Hm? Do what now?" Ichi chuckled out as he licked along the underside of Hachi's erect manhood.

"D-don't use y–_ngh!_–your n-nails…! Nghooh!"

Joshua managed to blink wearily, before he (somehow) took notice of Ichi's other hand, of which the first three fingers had been pushed inside of Hachi's entrance. And judging from the motions of his hand, those fingers were not holding still.

"Oh? You mean like _this_?" Ichi asked, suddenly twisting his hand upward and burying his fingers even deeper inside, drawing a startled/muffled cry from Hachi.

"Y-yes, _that_… please don–_aangh-nnngmmh!_"

Ichi allowed a slow chuckle as he moved his fingers almost leisurely, and Joshua had to swallow the lump in his throat as he realized the similarities with Ichi and Neku were even greater than he had originally thought. The red-haired duplicate was behaving exactly as Neku would when it was just him and Joshua.

'I… I shouldn't be… w-watching th—'

But before Joshua could even finish the thought, Hachi very nearly yelled–though he only barely saved himself by biting down on his fist hard enough to draw blood–and his head flew back in to almost collide with the wall, his eyes–an orange-yellow in color with slitted pupils–snapping open in something that Joshua could only call blind pleasure, since Hachi had looked straight at him and hadn't even seemed to notice him. Hachi tried to speak, but his eyes screwed shut again when Ichi swallowed all of Hachi's need in one movement, making the silverette cry out from behind his fist.

And Joshua found himself unable to look away. Instead, he stood stock-still and watched breathlessly as Ichi moved both his head and his hand, pleasuring his partner both inside and outside. And Hachi was whimpering and trembling, the hand that wasn't held to his mouth entangled in Ichi's spiked locks and clinging to him for dear life, his breath coming out so fast that he looked about ready to hyperventilate, while his cheeks were flushed red in a mix of desire and possible embarrassment.

"I-Ic-_chiiii!_" he wailed out softly from behind his hand. "Ah… hah… hah… n-no more… oh goddess _aaaahh_… I-I'm g-gonna–_nngh!_"

Ichi, however, merely chuckled, and then he started to hum, which caused Hachi's muffled cries to double and his body to shake even harder, while his fingers dug into Ichi's scalp. And then every muscle in Hachi's body tensed so suddenly that it was a miracle he didn't accidentally rip a muscle as he choked on a scream, muffled by his fist being pushed as far into his mouth as he could, and then the room fell silent with the exception of Hachi's labored breathing and the sound of Ichi _swallowing_.

And once Ichi had moved back, Hachi collapsed, flopping over the redhead who only just managed to catch him, panting for breath as his whole body trembled.

And then, once he seemed certain that Hachi was out cold, Ichi turned his head—looking straight at Joshua. The Composer almost staggered back, but somehow, he couldn't move under Ichi's solemn, penetrating gaze. It was as though he was looking right _through_ Joshua. However, rather than say anything, the redhead only brought up one finger and tapped the left side of his mouth and then pointed to Joshua.

Instinctively, Joshua reached up to the left side of his own face… and flinched when he realized there was a steady trail of liquid trailing down his cheek that he didn't even notice before; his own saliva.

Ichi, however, only smirked and rose to his feet, with Hachi slung over his shoulder almost casually. The redhead then wordlessly walked over to the couch, and deposited Hachi on it, who didn't even respond and merely flopped down as though he were a ragdoll. Ichi didn't even seem to care as Joshua stood and watched, unable to look away even as the redhead climbed on top of Hachi and locked their mouths together with an animalistic desperation that almost made Joshua groan out loud at the same time as Hachi.

Joshua had to reach out and lean on a chair to prevent his legs from giving out as Ichi worked on slowly removing every part of Hachi's clothing, while at the same time taking his time to lavish every spot of bare skin he could reach, nipping, sucking, licking…

'Sh-shit…' Joshua barely realized he was panting for breath, too caught in watching the pair before him to even notice his own, growing 'problem'. 'Is… is that what it looks like wh-when Neku… ugh! Wh-why am I even-oh god…!'

Joshua gulped down what was blocking his throat when Ichi suddenly _moved_ and made Hachi yowl out, his body shuddering briefly, before he released something akin to a mewl when Ichi pushed the silverette's legs to his chest and began pounding into him. Even as Hachi snagged onto the edge of the couch, the red-haired duplicate did not stop moving and, in fact, only thrust harder and faster into the smaller silverette beneath him, who was panting and whining with his eyes shut tightly.

"_Ah… hah… hah… _Ic-Ichi…! Oh god-_dessss!_ _Aaahhh_… Ichi… Ichi…" Hachi whimpered out, Ichi's name quietly tumbling from his mouth in an endless litany until Ichi locked their mouths together again. And all the while, Ichi never stopped moving.

And the Composer of Shibuya could only stare with his mouth hanging open, his pants getting tight to the point where it became almost painful. Ichi shifted his position just then, if only slightly, and as he did, Hachi gave a keening wail that reverberated in Ichi's mouth and he brought up his hands to claw at Ichi's back, seeking leverage that wasn't there.

Hachi broke away for a brief moment, gasping out: "Ha… harder, I-Ichi…! Please… fuck me harder…" which was followed by a whispered litany of 'please', before Ichi covered his mouth again. However, Ichi did as Hachi had pleaded and snapped his hips forward so violently that any normal man would've snapped a muscle, or fractured a bone, or both. Hachi whined and moaned, his short nails clawing at Ichi's back and leaving bright red tracks wherever they went, at one point even drawing blood, which trickled down Ichi's back in red rivulets.

Joshua had always hated the sight of blood before, but in the current situation, it actually turned him on even more. There was just something about the sight of it running down the redhead's back that… sent all of his own down south. Joshua wasn't even thinking about what he was doing as his hand moved to cup his own desire, much too focused on watching the pair before him.

Ichi only briefly glanced up from under his bangs, eyes darkened from lust, and as he pulled back just slightly to let Hachi breathe, a small smirk played over his face that Joshua completely missed. After dropping the smirk, he moved to Hachi's neck and whispered into the silverette's ear: "Do you… want to come… Hachi?"

Joshua was expecting the other boy to say 'yes', since that was certainly what _he_ would've said, so he wasn't prepared for what Hachi said instead.

"N… no…! N-not yet…! I-I don't–_ngh!_–don't want… to c-come… just yet!" Hachi gasped out, digging his nails into Ichi's shoulders. "D-don't ma–_aaagh!_–don't make me… c-come…! Please… please no…!"

Ichi allowed a smirk as he licked his way along the silverette's ear shell. "Liar… your body's… practically begging for it," he breathed out, looking up to Joshua from under his bangs. "You _want_ it… _bad_…"

"_Ah… hah… hah… _I… Ichi… please… n-not yet… please…"

"I think…" Ichi purred, running the pads of his fingers along Hachi's skin, "that you've had… _more_ than enough fun…"

"N-no…! I-Ich-_chiiiiii! _N… no… I… I…!"

Ichi almost immediately locked their mouths together again, and just in time as Hachi released a cry that was perfectly audible even with his mouth covered, his back arching up so that his and Ichi's chests collided even as Ichi finally slowed his pace to a halt. And then, almost as one, they collapsed, though Ichi was able to stop himself from crushing Hachi under his weight by using his right arm for leverage.

For a moment more, Joshua just stared, before he seemed to realize just what the hell he had been doing and almost dashed into the kitchen. He almost ripped the drawer out, grabbing a pack of tissues from where they were kept, shutting it almost before his hand was out, and then hurried back, making sure that his shirt covered most of his 'problem', and also ignoring both Ichi and Hachi. Last thing he needed was to get distracted _again_.

When he stepped back into the room again, Neku was sitting up on the bed, staring listlessly out the window, the popsicle's stick poised between his lips and its ice cream long gone, his arms resting on one knee with the hands dangling, slick with saliva. Joshua had to gulp briefly to get rid of the lump in his throat before he was able to approach Neku.

In the end, despite wanting to say something cheeky to get his wits back, all he managed to get out was: "Here," as he held the pack of tissues out to Neku.

The redhead blinked and whipped around in surprise, before he spotted the pack and took it absently. "Ah… thanks…" he mumbled, not removing the stick and instead pulling out a few tissues to dry off his hands. He didn't even comment on Joshua having been gone for so long, which was just fine to Joshua.

"What're you looking for?" he asked, trying to strike up conversation and to ignore/calm his 'problem'.

"Hm… nothing in particular…" Neku said absently, as he blindly tossed the used tissue into the waste basket. "Just thinking…"

"Hmm…"

As they remained there in silence, however, as much as Joshua tried to _not_ think about the pair that was still in the next room, the more he _did_ end up thinking about them. And that didn't make it any easier on Joshua. Especially since…

Neku suddenly blinked once, sniffing at the air briefly, before he turned to Joshua with a thoughtful frown. "…You alright?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine. Thanks anyway," Joshua said almost immediately.

Maybe a little too fast, though, since Neku's frown darkened in suspicion as he said it. Joshua tried to hold Neku's stare, but the intense stare he was giving—his pupils slitted to show he was tapping into his powers again—was not making it easy. Not to mention when the redhead suddenly grabbed him by the collar of his short and yanked him forward without a word of warning.

Of course the sudden motion drew a startled gasp from Joshua, which soon turned into a grunt as he hit the mattress back first. And he wasn't allowed to get up, since Neku was right there and keeping him in place.

"Urgh… wh-what was that for?" Joshua managed to get out.

"…What happened?" Neku asked sternly, as he kept Joshua's hands above his head.

"Nothing," the silverette almost squeaked out. "Nothing happened, really."

"…Liar," Neku snarled, and Joshua yowled when Neku used one hand to cup the Composer's need and _squeezed_. "Then how do you explain _that_?"

"Ah um… uh… th-that is… I-I was just…" Joshua choked out, before he whined as Neku shifted his grip and used his palm to cup his cock, while two fingers played with his balls through the material of his jeans. "_A-aaaahhh! _Ne-Nek-kuuuu…"

"Answer me, Composer," Neku whispered into Joshua's ear. "What happened?"

"I… I just… I-I didn't… didn't mean–_ooohhhh…!_–t-to… to watch, b-but… but they… I mean…!"

"…!" Neku actually froze, briefly, before he frowned darkly. Not that Joshua saw, since he had his eyes screwed shut. "…'they'?"

"I-I don't… I don't know who they… are, but… the-they just… I… I just–_ngh!_–couldn't look away… _ah… hah… a-ah!_"

"…Ichi and Hachi?" Neku mumbled softly, a deep frown playing on his face. However, Joshua didn't seem to hear him, as Neku's fingers tightened just slightly, making the silverette yowl, his back arching up instinctively. Neku frowned briefly, before he sighed and pressed down harder, making Joshua wail out.

"_Ah… ah… hah! _Ne-Nek… Nek-_uuuu!_" he cried out, and Neku could see his toes curling in his socks against the mattress. His body was tense and shaking, and his eyes, half-opened as they were, were glassy and unseeing, and his breath was uneven and ragged. "_Agh-gah-urgh! Ne-Neku-s-samaaaa!_"

"Not yet… Not just yet, Yoshiya," Neku murmured, squeezing his fingers just slightly and making the Composer whimper, even more as he ran a finger along the clothed base. "I intend to exact a little 'punishment' for a pair of my bunshin."

Joshua barely hear Neku's words, and even then, he barely understood their meaning. His mind was miles away from anything that wasn't an order right then. He didn't even notice how Neku snapped his fingers once, causing a dark portal-like door to appear against the wall. Only when Neku suddenly stood and pulled Joshua up with him did he actually open his eyes.

Neku's firm grip on Joshua's ass made the silverette wrap his legs around the redhead's waist and his arms around his shoulders, a whimper coming from his throat when the Kyuubi ground their cocks together. And when Neku began to walk, the rocking motion almost drove Joshua mad with desire as he clung to Neku with a muffled whine, burying his face in his shoulder.

Josh didn't even notice that they passed through the portal, into the pitch-black room lit only by a few blood red candles. He did notice when he was lowered onto the bed, however, though he had no chance to react to it as Neku smashed their mouths together, his inhumanly long tongue coiling all around the smaller boy's mouth, drawing a long, almost desperate moan from his throat.

"_Ah… hah… _N-Neku-sa-sama…" Joshua whimpered out as Neku began to lavish every inch of his face, ears and neck, fangs skittering lightly along the heated skin.

"Sshh. Not yet, Yoshiya," the fox murmured as he ran his fingers along the Composer's side, hitching up the shirt. "I have to do one more thing, and then we can have some fun. Okay?"

Joshua blinked once, then slowly nodded; it was all he could do.

"Good," Neku said with a small smirk, giving the Composer one last peck before he got back up. "I'll be right back. Why don't you get comfy in the meantime, hm?"

Again, all Joshua managed was a nod.

Neku chuckled as he lightly moved a lock of silvery hair out of Joshua's eyes, almost affectionately, before he walked back the way they had come, disappearing in the darkness.

As he did, Joshua moaned pathetically as he pushed himself up on shaking arms. He whimpered as he shifted his leg in such a way that his jeans almost crushed his cock, instinctively reaching down to alleviate the feeling. "Dammit… thi… this is… ah… gaaah…" he moaned, flicking the button of his jeans and quickly getting rid of the article of clothing. "Wh… why did I… _oohhh_… ah… sh-shit… _aaahhh_… so hot…" he whimpered as he brought his other hand up under his shirt to flick at his own nipple in an attempt to calm his own body down. "_Hah… hah… _oh god… _ngh_… mmm-_aaahh_… N… Nek… kuuu… s-sa… ma…"

* * *

><p>"ICHI! HACHI! GET IN HERE!" Neku shouted out the moment he was back in his bedroom<p>

The startled yips coming from the living room were soon followed by rapid footfalls, before both Ichi and Hachi almost tripped into the room, dropping to their knees, hands on the floor and their foreheads pressed against the floor submissively.

"You… called for us, Master?" Ichi said slowly, keeping his gaze aimed to the floor.

"Yes, I did," Neku snarled out. As much as he wanted to thank the pair for getting Joshua 'worked up', they had still broken one of the rules he had set. "Do you two remember the rules I set when we started the little… 'arrangement' with Shibuya's Composer?"

"…Yes, of course, Master," Hachi spoke slowly, and the slight dread in his voice indicated he already knew what was coming.

"Good. And I do believe one of the rules included… to _not_ get 'busy' when he's here, correct?"

"…Yes, Master," both copies responded slowly, still not looking up at the Kyuubi.

"So answer me this; _why_ did you do it?"

Neither of the two responded right away. Possibly because they were thinking of some way to get out of this unscathed, with little success.

"…I apologize, Master. It was my fault," Hachi suddenly spoke up, not only drawing Neku's attention, but Ichi's as well. "The day was… unbearably suffocating. I… needed to release my tension in one way or another, and I chose the wrong method. I apologize."

"Hachi…" the redheaded copy whispered in slight dread, realizing that the silverette was going to pull all the blame on himself.

"Tension, huh?" Neku repeated simply, crossing his arms over his chest. "And you didn't have an alternative way to deal with it?"

"I… could not find one so soon, Master…" Hachi admitted, keeping his face down, still.

"Uh-huh," Neku said slowly, tapping his long nails along his arm.

"Master!" Ichi suddenly exclaimed, pushing himself up but keeping his head down, startling Hachi into looking up to him. "It was not only Hachi's fault; I was just as much at fault."

"Ichi, no!" Hachi hissed out under his breath, but Neku ignored the silverette's quiet plea.

"Oh? How so, Ichi?"

"It was I who got us started, Master," Ichi admitted, ignoring Hachi's pleading look. "I knew you would not approve, but I still went through with it. And… I also knew that the Composer was watching."

When Ichi said that, Hachi nearly gasped out loud, but as it was, his cheeks merely flared red. And Neku only raised a curious eyebrow at that bit of info. "Oh? Did you now?"

"Yes, Master…" Ichi affirmed with a nod. "I am well aware that I should have stopped then… but…"

"'But'?" Neku pressed when Ichi stopped.

Ichi took a few deep breaths, before he shut his eyes and spoke: "The Composer… seemed to… enjoy watching us… and it… seemed unfair to me to… to…"

"Leave him hanging, huh?" the Kyuubi guessed.

"…Yes, Master…"

Neku frowned as he studied the pair before him for a long time, remaining silent as he considered the explanations he had just heard. The fact that Joshua had been watching them was clearly news to Hachi, as he was shaking very subtly at the idea of someone seeing _that_. And Ichi, while not ashamed of it, seemed intent on taking the full blame for it, not wanting Hachi to get in trouble in the same way that Hachi wished for the same.

For a moment, he shut his eyes, seemingly thinking, before he looked up again to speak what he had already decided upon earlier. "You boys sure know how to make things difficult for me, don't you?" Both of them flinched upon those words, already dreading what was coming. "However… given how your little 'show' has turned out for the Composer… I'm willing to be lenient, just this once."

Startled, the pair actually looked up, white and yellow eyes watching the Kyuubi in confusion, before they shared a quick look of relief with each other.

"Of course, the fact remains that you broke a rule I set for you two, so I _do_ need to punish you for that much."

The pair looked back to Neku at that, seemingly in fright, but they lowered their heads back to the ground silently. "We understand, Master," they said as one, then.

"Ichi, there is a dark green bottle in the top-right cupboard. Retrieve that one for me."

Ichi blinked curiously, not expecting the sudden order, but he nodded with a quick "Yes, Master," and stood to retrieve said item. It took him only a moment to find it; it was placed all the way in the back, just out of sight, and Ichi remembered it having been there a while already. He had always assumed it to be wine, but he had never been able to explain its presence in the apartment, since Neku didn't drink, after all.

Nevertheless, he carefully picked up the bottle and walked back to the bedroom. Wordlessly, he passed the bottle to Neku and then returned to his original spot, even as the Kyuubi uncorked the bottle with a loud pop.

Without a word, Neku put the bottle to his lips and took a single, long gulp from the liquid, before he held it out to the pair. "Both of you, take one sip, no more."

Though neither of them expected _that_, they were wise enough to not question it. Ichi took the first sip, and his face twitched slightly from the almost bland taste, but he said nothing and passed the bottle to Hachi. The silverette took an equally long gulp as Ichi, though he managed to school his features into staying neutral.

"Good," Neku said, and neither of the copies really liked the smirk playing along his face. "Now… one last thing, and then the fun begins."

Both Ichi and Hachi resisted the urge to gulp in apprehension as black markings began to form on both of Neku's hands. Neither of them moved an inch when the redhead walked forward, crouched down and then put his palms right over their cocks, feeling the slight burn in their skin as the seal was placed that made them whimper softly.

Neku merely chuckled, whispering softly to them: "I expect you both to watch. _E~ve~ry~thing_. Understood?"

"Y-yes… M-Master…" both copies whimpered out in response.

"Good." If anything, Neku's smirk only grew as he rose from his crouched position, using a simple hand gesture to get the pair up as well, before he walked right through the portal again, the pair of copies following slowly.

* * *

><p>Neku didn't even react to the sight of Joshua both struggling with his own clothes and attempting to calm his body down somehow, and only wordlessly gestured for the pair to sit a few feet away from the bed. Only when Ichi and Hachi had done so did Neku approach the by now almost desperate Composer, climbing on the bed wordlessly, though he smirked when Joshua wearily managed to look up to him.<p>

"Starting without me, Composer?" he murmured softly, undoing the remaining buttons of Joshua's shirt.

"I… I just-"

Neku didn't allow Joshua to finish and roughly connected their mouths together, reveling in the muffled whimper that rolled from Joshua's tongue. After a while, though, Neku pulled away and sat up straighter, bringing the dark green bottle he had brought with him to his mouth and pouring some of the liquid in his mouth, but he didn't swallow it. Instead, he let one of his tails set it aside and moved forward and crushed his mouth to the silver-haired Composer's, using his tongue to separate his lips and then forced the liquid down his throat.

Joshua choked in surprise when the liquid was poured into his mouth and coughed as he tried to push Neku off, but the Kyuubi didn't budge, forcing Joshua to swallow every drop. Only once the silverette had indeed swallowed it all did Neku move back, after which Joshua coughed a number of times.

Neku smirked coldly, his eyes darkening in lust even as he moved forward and slowly dragged his long tongue across Joshua's throat, drawing a deep moan from the boy. The sound turned into a whimper as the fox nipped and sucked at the area connecting his chin to his neck, soaking any and every bit of bare skin he came across in his saliva before moving further down. And then he bit down on Josh's right nipple, causing the Composer to cry out and then whine when Neku rolled his tongue over the nub, before he sucked, _hard_.

"_A-ah!_ Ne-Neku-s-samaaah…!" he wailed out as Neku also pinched his other nipple with his sharp nails, before twisting it and drawing a sharp cry from the silverette. Normally, in these kinds of situations, Neku _never_ let him have his hands free; they were always, _always_, restrained in one way or another, and now that he, for once, had his hands free, Joshua had no idea what to do with them. So he was currently, mindlessly, clawing at the sheets, panting and gasping as Neku removed every inch of his clothes, whether it was by sliding them off or simply ripping them off, he didn't even care anymore.

And then he let out a choked cry when Neku abruptly swallowed his cock without the slightest warning, his back arching off from the bed at the rush of pleasure instantly shooting up his spine. And when Neku proceeded to move _and_ suck, Joshua whimpered, his toes curling up against the sheets.

* * *

><p>"Master is… not making this easy on us… huh?" Hachi choked softly, keeping his hands fisted upon his knees as he and Ichi watched Neku as he pulled back slightly and then wrapped his inhumanly long tongue around the Composer's need.<p>

"We've… only ourselves to blame…" Ichi panted, trying to keep his breathing at least a little under control. Unfortunately, that was a lost cause from the start, especially with the seal placed upon him and Hachi.

The seal that Neku placed on them was different to the one Joshua had in two ways. The first point was that the seal would not allow either of them to cum until a certain amount of time had passed, which could range from an hour to several days. The other part was that the seal linked their nerves to that of someone else. And in their case, they were now linked to - as Ichi called them - their source. So whereas Ichi would feel as though he was sucking someone off, Hachi would feel like the person being sucked off.

This made their efforts to stay quiet that much harder.

"_Ah…hah… _I-Ichi…" Hachi suddenly whined out pathetically as his body almost curled up on itself. "_Hah… hah… _it… it's hot… so hot…"

"Ha-Hachi!" Ichi got out as he reached out to keep the smaller boy from falling over, though he almost let him go when he realized how hot the boy's body felt. "Hachi, are… are you…" he started to ask, but he had to pause to catch his breath, as he felt his own body's temperature begin to rise more ways than one.

'I-it's that drink!' Ichi realized then.

Not that the realization did him much good. Hachi whimpered as he completely lost his balance, flopping over onto Ichi, who only barely managed to keep them up, though it didn't help when Hachi's hand landed on his clothed erection.

"_A-ah…! _Oh goddess… _aahh…_" Ichi hissed out through his teeth.

And when both Hachi and Joshua cried out at the same time, Ichi was almost afraid to know, but he looked back anyway.

* * *

><p>"<em>A-ah! <em>N-Neku-s-saa-_maaaah!_ Nrgh-_ah… hah… hah…_ oh god…! _Ah!_"

Neku merely smirked as he pushed his fingers deeper inside, curling the digits and running them along the boy's inner walls, listening to his wails and whimpers as he released the Composer's cock with one last lick. Then he slowly moved his fingers out again, and as he moved them back in, added a third finger, stretching Joshua even further and drawing a whimper from him. He chuckled when Joshua released another cry as he spread his fingers and rubbed at three different spots at the time, before moving up to Joshua's ear.

"Tell me, Composer…" he murmured into the boy's ear, his hot breath ghosting along the already heated skin and making Joshua whine. "What do you want?"

Joshua could only whimper as Neku traced his entrance with both pinky and thumb, the muscle twitching as he realized what the Kyuubi was planning. "Ah… ah… I… I… _ngh!_ I-I… _ahhhh!_ I… N-Neku… s-sama_aah_! P-please… please g… give me… m-more…"

"More?" the Kyuubi almost purred out as he moved his briefly slipped his thumbnail inside, drawing another whimper from the Composer. "More… _what_?"

The silverette's breath was fast and ragged, making it difficult for the boy to get anything out. He finally managed to speak, though only after swallowing whatever was blocking his throat, twice. "M… m-more… in… i-ins-side… please…"

Neku smirked icily, shifting the position of his hand slightly so that it formed a 'beak'. "If that's what you want…" he purred out, right before he pushed his hand forward, drawing a scream from Joshua that was both startled, pained, and pleasured, his back arching up so fast it was a miracle he didn't snap his spine, nails ripping through the sheets because of how tight he was gripping them.

"Oh _god!_ Aaaaaahhhh! Ne-Ne-Nekuuuu-s-saa… _nghr!_-s-sama_aaaah!_" he wailed out as Neku moved in and out steadily, gradually going faster and harder, making the boy whine. "S-so good… _ah… hah… hah… _Ne-Nek-Neku-samaaaa…!"

* * *

><p>"<em>Nyaaaaaaahhh…!<em>" Hachi wailed out, clinging to Ichi almost desperately, who could do nothing but hold the smaller copy close. "T-too much…! I-I can't…! Oh _goddess…!_ M-make it stop! I-Ichi…! Pl-please… ma-make it _stoooaaaaaaaah! _N-no, not there!"

Ichi groaned as Hachi's wriggling pushed harder against his own straining need, and as much as he wanted to help the boy, he couldn't; this was their punishment, and their Master would not be satisfied until he believed they had suffered enough. And while this wasn't affecting Ichi as much as it was Hachi, the _tightness_ around his hand had the appendage shaking against Hachi's back, and he had a feeling he was probably drooling, too.

"Ha-Hachi… _ah…!_ I c-c… _aaaaaah!_ I can't… can't do… a-any… th-thing…" he whispered softly, briefly wetting his lips. "I… I'm s… sorry… _nrgh!_"

Ichi almost fell backwards at the sudden rush of pleasure that shot up his spine, digging his fingers into Hachi's shirt and holding on for dear life as the silverette whined pathetically. He didn't even have to look to know what had happened…

* * *

><p>"Mmm… just like that…" Neku murmured softly, as Joshua had twisted his upper body in such a way that he was able to suck the Kyuubi off, all while Neku's hand continued its ministrations inside the smaller boy.<p>

Joshua only whined as he briefly licked the head of Neku's erection, before he curled his lips over his teeth and slipped it inside, allowing a small, pleased hum before he moved. The angle was a bit uncomfortable, since his hips were still lying flat on the bed and his torso was turned on its side, so he used his hands to cling to the Kyuubi's hips. He just kept sucking and bobbing his head, completely unaware of the pair of eyes watching him, nor did he really care at that point. His body was screaming, _begging_, for release, but the seal wouldn't allow him, so he hoped that, if he pleased the Kyuubi well enough, he'd allow him to come, finally.

Neku hissed through his teeth when Joshua pushed down his tongue on a sensitive spot, several times, before he smirked and angled his hand just slightly upward. This drew a sharp, muffled cry from Joshua as his body arched almost painfully. Of course, he couldn't move his head back to regulate his breath, since Neku's free hand kept him in place.

"Heh… look at you… so hot and bothered…" he murmured. "You _really_ want to come… don't you?" That question was answered by a small, indistinguishable nod and a hum that the fox felt more than heard, which made Neku chuckle softly. "Yeah, I thought as much… but that's not any fun, now… is it?" he crooned, moving his free hand along the Composer's chest, flicking the thumb over his nipples briefly before moving further down. Joshua almost choked when the Kyuubi's fingers trailed along his cock, whimpering in a way that could only be called pleading. "C'mon, _Yoshiya_…" he murmured as he flipped the boy completely on his back, moving until he was hovering right above him, "let's have some _fun_."

Even if Joshua's mind hadn't been clouded by lust, it would've taken several minutes for him to catch up, and even that would've been not enough time. He almost howled out, causing him to choke briefly, as Neku descended upon him with a ferocious, almost _possessive_, growl and swallowed his member whole. Joshua's entire body shook and he was certain the expression on his face had to be _priceless_, but he was FAR beyond caring as his arms instinctively came up and coiled around Neku's body, his nails scratching along his back in search of something, _anything_, to take a hold of to save him from drowning in the sea of passion he found himself lost in.

Somehow, he wasn't even sure _how_, he managed to keep sucking and bobbing his head, as Neku did the exact same, though the Kyuubi was also humming. The added vibrations made Joshua wail and whimper, and he absently felt his nails peel away at some of the skin and a warm, familiar liquid dribbled down along his fingers. He felt the Kyuubi purring, and this only sent another surge of pleasure racing along his spinal cord, which in turn drove the Composer to claw his way further upward along the fox's own back. He felt the hot liquid trailing along his fingers, almost scalding him, despite how hot his own body felt already, and he moaned Neku's name, muffled as it was, feeling an almost desperate need that burned him up to his core. And then Neku spread out his fingers and twisted his hand, drawing a wail from Joshua and had him drilling in his fingers even deeper into Neku's back.

* * *

><p>Hachi wailed as he clung to Ichi, his sharpening nails ripping through the redhead's shirt and tearing through the skin, the other copy tearing through the cloth and skin just as easily. "N-no <em>mooooore!<em> I-Ichi! No more! Make it stop! _Please!_"

Ichi gasped and wheezed, feeling his fox ears peek out from his hair as his tail swayed violently behind him. Hachi's ears and tail were doing the exact same, his body shaking from being denied its release to the point where it was physically hurting him. The scent of blood was not making their situation any easier, and Ichi found himself moving forward to lick at the drops of blood he could reach, delighting in the smaller boy's whines as he struggled to return the favor.

"_Ah… hah… hah… _I… Ich… I… chi… _aaaaahhh!_ S-so hot… I-I'm—_nrgh!_—b-burning… u-up…! _Aaaah!_"

Ichi hissed a little as Hachi ground up against him, instinctively pulling him closer to him, his nails digging deeper into his back and making the smaller copy whine. He knew it had to be utterly unbearable for Hachi, but there was nothing Ichi could do to help him. All he could do was pray that their Master would show them mercy soon, but that chance… was a small one.

* * *

><p>Joshua felt his entire body begin to tense up, his breathing picking up as he struggled to keep pleasuring the Kyuubi, his hands sticky and hot from both sweat and blood. His body was so tense that he almost feared his muscles would rip if he made any wrong moves, but, honestly, he was beyond caring.<p>

He managed to wail out Neku's name even with his mouth full. He was so close… _so close…_

And when Neku released a deep purr from the very back of his throat, he let out a muffled scream as his back arched up from the bed, his fingers digging hard into Neku's back as his release hit him while Neku's washed down his mouth, and he swallowed up every drop of it hungrily.

And only once he was spent did he drop down flat on the bed, gasping and sweating like a pig, but also content and warm.

When there was a light touch to his forehead, he wearily blinked his eyes open, looking up into Neku's darkened eyes. In the aftermath, Joshua completely missed the small, icy smirk that played along the Kyuubi's face only a moment before he crushed their mouths together. The Composer whimpered as their tongues clashed, blindly reaching out and wrapping his arms around Neku's neck before he realized something that almost made him whine;

He was still painfully hard.

"Ah… hah… N-Neku-sa… _maaaaah_…" he moaned out when the Kyuubi pulled away to start suckling on his neck and ear. "_Aaaah_… I … I st… still… oh _god!_" he wailed as one of Neku's tails moved in and coiled around his cock, and then _squeezed_. "_Hah… hah…_ Ne-Nekuuu-s-samaaaaah! _Oooohhh_… please… please please please…"

Neku only smirked coldly as his tails finally moved in, moving the boy's legs up until they almost rested against his chest as he pushed up, at the same time moving Joshua's hands aside for the time being and watching the silverette as the boy wriggled almost impatiently. But the Composer didn't speak again, too lost in his own lust. He merely looked up at Neku pleadingly, and after a brief moment of him not doing anything, he whined, like a puppy craving attention.

This, naturally, caused Neku to chuckle, before he did what Joshua clearly wanted and _moved_, and the Composer mewled as the force caused every muscle to tense sharply in pain. The Kyuubi didn't move immediately, giving Joshua a few moments to adjust, but even then he didn't give the other long to do so.

When Neku moved, Joshua let out a wail of pain/surprise, before he whimpered and instinctively arched up against the redhead in response. His head lolled back and forth along the pillow and he wailed and whimpered, as he felt his fingers twitch against the skin of Neku's hands, still holding him by his wrists.

But… why…?

Unfortunately, his mind didn't give him the time he needed to figure it out as his mouth was already moving on its own.

"N-Nek… Neku-sa…_maaaah…!_ I-I… _ooohhh_… P-please… I… I w-want…!"

Neku blinked once in question, before he moved over to murmur in Joshua's ear, while never ceasing his movement. "Want what, Composer? What it is you want?"

Joshua whined as Neku nipped on his earlobe, tugging and licking teasingly, distracting him briefly. But he finally managed to find his voice again. "Want… I want t-to… _aaaahhh!_ I w-want… t-to h-hold y-you… Ne-Neku-s-sama…! Please… _please…!_"

This request was, definitely, an unusual one from the Composer, and Neku, for a while, wasn't even sure what to say to that. Eventually, though, he slowly released his wrists, sliding his hands along the boy's arms briefly before settling them on Joshua's hips.

And Joshua, once he realized his hands were free once again, immediately reached out and wound his arms around Neku's back, his fingers digging into the Kyuubi's powerful shoulders as the fox moved against him. He whined softly as Neku lightly bit down on his shoulder, his nails tearing through skin without him knowing and creating small rivers of blood.

Shibuya's Composer actually moaned as he felt the liquid dribbling along his fingers, his muscles bunching together, and when Neku began to pleasure his own neglected need, he wailed in pleasure.

He didn't even hear the words that Neku whispered to him just then before his orgasm hit him, nor did he hear what he himself had shouted when he came before his world faded to black…

* * *

><p>Ichi hissed slightly as Hachi collapsed against him, whimpering and obviously in pain, but there was nothing he could do at this time. He could only hope that…<p>

"Ichi."

The copy jumped in surprise, and slowly turned to face the Kyuubi, black eye shadow around his eyes and the Japanese Kanji for "one" on his forehead. "Y-yes, Master?"

Neku merely sat on the edge of the bed, watching the redhead for a moment, before he spoke again. "Take Hachi back to the room and wash up. And I hope you've learned your lesson this time. Though I appreciate the thought of you making the Composer so… bothered, I'd rather not have him learn _too_ much about your existence."

Ichi tensed briefly, before he nodded slowly. He should've known that his true motive would've been found out so easily. "Yes, Master."

"Good. Now go."

Ichi nodded and stood, carefully picking up Hachi, standing on shaking legs, before he turned and disappeared into the darkness.

And Neku merely watched him go, and only once the two copies were gone did he reach back over his shoulder, hissing a little as he felt the blood that still poured from the numerous scratches that Joshua had dragged along his back. He certainly hadn't expected the Composer to do that, but he supposed it didn't matter right now.

"Damn… that's probably gonna sting a little later…" he murmured to himself as he rose to his feet – and tensed sharply when the blood reached his legs and dribbled down. "Nrgh! Sh-shit…" he hissed softly, quickly using one of his tails to remove the trail of blood, though he couldn't stop his body from shaking even as two other tails lifted Joshua from the bed. 'Urgh… have to… clean this blood off… _fast!_'

But even as Neku walked, his breathing was fast and irregular and his face turned a slight green as he covered his mouth, coughing, _hard_.

'Why…? Why… why… why…'

* * *

><p><strong>AN: …Why is everyone suddenly faving this story and putting it on Story Alert? o.o I leave for two weeks on a holiday and I come back to find over a handful of people have either faved this story or is watching it for updates. Don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining. I'm just… surprised at the sudden attention this story is getting in comparison to when I left…**

**Anyway, yeah, this stage ended up becoming 15 pages long, which is one of the reasons it took me so long to get this done. Second is, of course, my vacation of two weeks.**

**In any case, thanks for your reviews/story alerts/faves and I hope you continue to enjoy this story.**

**And now, by request of _Lord Giovanni_, a little info on Neku's "Servants/Dolls", kupo!**

**.  
><strong>

**Name: **Ichi "?"

**Number: **One

**Actual eye-color: **White with black eye-shadow

**Source: **Kurasa/Sakuraba Neku

**Info: **Ichi is one of the first "dolls" to appear, and he is the spitting image of Neku. This brings up the question whether his current appearance is his true form or if his form changes depending on the Kyuubi's current "form". Ichi takes his duties as a servant to the Kyuubi very seriously, and appears to take Neku's place if the fox is otherwise occupied (or simply not in the mood to be around people).

.

**Name: **Nii "Lin" & San "Ren"

**Number: **Two / Three

**Actual eye-color: **Dark blue with black eye-shadow

**Source: **Unknown

**Info: **Nii Lin and San Ren first appeared when Kamui showed himself to protect Joshua, and afterwards they warn the Composer of Kamui's behavior, but not much else is known about them other than the fact that they're twins. They have yet to show themselves again, leaving one to wonder just who they are meant to be.

.

**Name: **Nana "?"

**Number: **Seven

**Actual eye-color: **Unknown as of yet

**Source: **Misaki Shiki

**Info: **Nana, like Nii Lin and San Ren, has only appeared once and that was only when Kamui appeared. She appears to be based off of Shiki's actual appearance rather than what she looked like in the Game, but despite that, she uses a plush black kitten as a tool to fight in the same way as Shiki did in the Reapers' Game. Not much else is known about her.

.

**Name: **Hachi "?"

**Number: **Eight

**Actual eye-color: **Yellow-orange with purple eye-shadow

**Source: **Kiryuu Yoshiya a.k.a. "Joshua"

**Info: **Hachi appears the most alongside with Ichi, and he seems to take Joshua's place when Neku has "spirited him away". He has the same cheeky character as Joshua, but he has a few differences, with the main difference being his insatiability (as Ichi has already pointed out). He rather enjoys to be "dominated" by Ichi, and appears to be more than a little masochistic.


	10. Stage 10 The Answers

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 10 - The Answers<strong>_

As Composer, one was entitled to abilities and skills that permitted one to properly keep track of the UG. Of course, not everyone working in the UG could know about what kind of abilities their "almighty leader" had, and even the Producers weren't 100% privy to knowing what the Composer was truly capable of if they put their mind to it.

The same went for Joshua.

Once he had become Composer, Joshua had soon discovered that, while he was asleep, he was able to tap into the dreams and thoughts of people. Of course, the dreams or thoughts had to be fully focused for him to be able to do anything with it, but it wasn't something he could do consciously to begin with. That was why he tended to spend the night either at WildKat or in the Room of Reckoning. Either one of those locations blocked his "dream walking", as he called it.

Unfortunately, he wasn't at either of those locations, leaving his mind free to wander and find a dream to link to…

And it soon found one…

* * *

><p><em>Joshua blinked his eyes open, groaning, and was a bit surprised at the lack of light, and the fact that his voice sounded… strange. Like it wasn't his own…<em>

_But as his eyes grew adapted to the darkness, he could just make out the blurred edges along his vision, and he understood that he was in someone's dream. He never liked waking up to find himself in someone else's dream, and he wouldn't be able to wake up until the other person did just so, which was one of the major setbacks of this skill._

_He sighed mentally, knowing he was trapped, for the moment at least, and looked around briefly with his 'new body'… and what he saw sickened him._

_Whoever he was in right then, he estimated him (one look down confirmed that) to be around 7, maybe 8 years old, the child's clothes had been ripped off with only a few strips of cloth still clinging to sinewy limbs that had almost no meat on them at all. This kid took the term "just skin and bones" a little too literal, but Joshua was disgusted with it, and the long nails were ripped in jagged edges, possibly from clawing blindly at something, and the left pinky was even missing its nail entirely, a bloody scab indicating its removal had been utterly painful. The skin was so pale, even in the darkness, Josh could see this kid had barely gotten any sun at all, which made the large, hand-shaped bruises that much more visible, as well as the dark brown ropes that kept the boy tied up by his wrists and ankles._

_Joshua wanted to actually curse and scream and he was just about ready to rip whoever had done this to the boy to shreds, but he then remembered there was no way for him to do either._

_Just then, there was the sound of a door opening, and the boy's body tensed sharply in something that could only be alarm… and fear…_

_The boy began to tremble then, and briefly looked to the side before he whimpered and tried to crawl away, which was not an easy feat when both hands and feet were bound as they were, but that failed and he howled out in agony when he was violently dragged backwards. He started to claw at the ground, as though seeking for leverage, but the loose gravel offered no such thing._

_As he was trapped in the boy's body, the child's thoughts almost immediately filled every corner of his mind… and they almost made him sick…_

_**Nooooo! No please! Not again! Please no! Please no no no no no no! Stop it! Please stop! It hurts! It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts!**_

_And then the boy gave a loud, horrendous scream that sounded like a canine howl and Joshua could feel the horrible agony and despair that clawed at the boy, as the boy's thoughts became an endless litany…_

_**NOOOO! PLEASE! NO NO NOOOO! IT HURTS! IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS! MOMMY DADDY HELP ME! PLEASE HELP ME! IT HURTS! IT HURTS SO MUCH! SOMEONE… ANYONE… HELP ME!**_

_Joshua could only watch as the boy clawed at the ground in desperation, not caring that he was ripping off pieces of his own nails to the point where he almost had nothing left to protect his fingertips. He could barely hear someone talking, hear someone laughing maliciously as the boy's body was rocked back and forth with enough force that Joshua feared his jaw could be lodged out of joint at any moment, but the boy's frantic thoughts and pained howls droned it all out. The Composer could only watch as the boy clawed at the stone beneath the gravel, breaking off the nail of his right index finger entirely, causing blood to pour from the digit to stain the gravel a dark red._

_It seemed to take an eternity before his movements finally ceased, but the boy's body continued to shake from the agony, even when he was bodily thrown away to land further in the room, smashing hard against the wall with his back, making him wail in pain. Since his eyes fell shut, Joshua's vision was lost as well, but this allowed him to hear another voice, one that spoke in a cold, icy tone._

"_No one will come 'save you', brat! You were abandoned, so you should learn to enjoy this place!"_

_And then the door slammed shut._

_Joshua was beyond furious then, completely forgetting it was only a dream, and he wanted to rip that bastard to shreds and then obliterate every shred until there weren't even atoms left. But when he heard a choked whimper and felt the small boy's body shaking so horribly, his anger dissipated briefly as worry and concern began to gnaw at his mind. The endless plea of "help me" and "why?" echoed through the boy's head and Joshua, as much as he hated to deal with kids, couldn't possibly leave this boy like that._

_And so, he focused all of his strength and forced his consciousness to separate from the boy's body. He'd never actually done something like that before with the intent of actually helping someone, though he had done it at times when he had wanted an outside view on a person's dream. Finally, his consciousness and the boy's had disconnected and Joshua could look down at the damage done, though he almost jumped when he saw what kind of child he was looking at._

_The boy was definitely small, but from this angle, he couldn't possibly be older than 6, with short, dirty red hair with white ends, a pair of tiny fox ears peeking out from his hair, with one of them having a rather big piece ripped off of it, and a small, quivering fox tail was curled around his feet as his body shook violently, blood trailing by the shivering limb, and Joshua shuddered to think about its source._

'_Is that… then… a-am I… n-no… it… it can't be…'_

_Slowly, he walked forward and then crouched by the boy's hands. He debated on if he should say anything, but he reached out carefully and placed a tender hand on child's bound wrists._

_The result was instantaneous, and if Joshua hadn't instinctively grabbed him, the boy would've backed away with a terrified wail, but as it was, he only tried to do so. Joshua gasped as the remains of the boy's nails almost scratched open his wrist, but he kept his grip light enough to not hurt, yet firm enough to keep him in place._

"_Calm down! I'm not going to hurt you! I'm just trying to get these ropes off of you!" he called out to the boy, but the boy's panic was genuine and he tried with all his might to get away, crying and wailing as he tugged feebly at the loose grip. Joshua bit his lip briefly in thought, wondering if he dared to confirm or negate his thought, before he slowly opened his mouth. "Kurasa, calm down! I swear I'm not going to hurt you!"_

_The boy immediately stopped struggling and his head snapped up, looking up at Joshua with startlingly, ice-blue eyes that were brimming with tears. "…h… how… w… who…?"_

_Joshua almost tightened his grip in a mix of rage and sadness, but he quickly remembered he was still holding the boy's wrists, so instead, he brought up the small fox's wrists and worked on undoing the ropes that kept him bound. Once those were gone, he carefully moved to undo those on his ankles as well._

_And only once all of those were gone, did Joshua dare to reach out and – carefully – pull the small Kitsune into his arms. Of course he tensed, he'd expected that, but pretty soon he gave a tiny whimper and snuggled deeply into the Composer's grip, as though wanting to disappear in him, whimpering and shaking like an abused puppy._

_Though… maybe that wasn't even that far off._

"_Ssshh… ssshh, it's okay, ssshh… I'm here… it's okay now… sshh…" he whispered, gently rubbing the boy's back, taking careful note of the boy's bruises, as he rocked him softly. The boy whimpered and sobbed quietly, his body shaking violently as he clutched onto Joshua's shirt. Josh couldn't even care if his bleeding finger dyed his shirt red; all he cared about was comforting the small boy._

_How could anyone dare to hurt such a precious child?_

"_Kurasa…" he whispered softly, placing a tender hand on the boy's head. "Listen to me… this isn't real… it's just a dream… a bad dream… you can escape this… you just have to wake up…"_

_The boy whimpered and shook his head, clinging to Joshua as though his life depended on it. Joshua bit his lip and was torn between waking the boy up and keeping him close for as long as he could. But he knew he couldn't do what he really wanted to. This boy… had to wake up._

"_Kurasa… Neku… it's just a dream… you have to wake up, dear… please…"_

"…_d…don't… c-call…"_

_Joshua smiled sadly, as he pulled the boy even closer to him. "I know, I know, dear… but you have to wake up… Wake up, dear… wake up…"_

_And as the blurred edges of his vision expanded further inward, he knew that he'd succeeded; he was waking up._

* * *

><p>When Joshua opened his eyes again, he was still dead tired, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He knew that, if he channeled into a person's dream, he'd always wake up later than the actual dreamer, meaning that…<p>

When a sakura petal fell on his cheek, he immediately realized where he was and quickly sat up. He was already fully dressed again, which was strange in an off itself. Normally, when Neku brought him there, it was to wash up. So why was he already dressed? Or did he sleep through it this time…?

'Wait… where's Neku?'

The Kyuubi in question was nowhere by his side, while at normal times, he would never stray too far from it.

Still, it didn't take Joshua long to find him; the redhead was sitting on his knees inside the spring, facing away from the Composer and seemed to be washing himself quietly. Which made Joshua wonder… did Neku _always_ wash himself after he was done with Joshua, or…?

Joshua blinked as he noticed some distinct markings on Neku's back. Ones that looked like…

"…Neku, are you alright, dear?" he called out, making sure to put just a little bit more emphasis on the nickname.

In response, Neku tensed briefly, pausing in what he was doing for a few moments as his ears twitched in the Composer's direction, before he went back to what he was doing, still not looking at Joshua in the slightest. "…I'm fine…" he said finally as he proceeded with what he was doing.

And the lack of response to the nickname was enough for Joshua to deduce that Neku was _not_ fine.

So, being careful so as not to make a noise, he removed his own clothes, and slowly walked into the water toward the Kyuubi. He wasn't embarrassed about Neku seeing him naked; he'd seen it plenty of times before, after all, so he had nothing to hide. As he approached, he saw just what the markings on Neku's back really were and it instantly made him wince.

Scratch marks… and a lot of them.

"Neku…" he murmured softly as he carefully crouched down behind the fox, being mindful of the nine tails that were resting in the water around him. He hesitated for a moment, but then he carefully placed a hand along a particular bad-looking batch of scratches, which caused Neku to tense sharply. "I'm sorry… does it hurt?"

"…no… I'm fine…"

'No, you're not…' Joshua thought to himself, taking in how his voice had hitched, and how Neku's body was shaking ever so subtly. His hunched over position reminded Joshua of that dream he had tapped into by accident. However, judging from Neku's responses, he was starting to think that, just maybe, it wasn't a dream… but a memory…

And, unbidden, words he had not heard in eons resounded through his head sagely.

"_We're all struggling in our own way. We all have things in our past we want to forget, but it's those things that shape us into who we are._"

If those words were true, and he didn't doubt them, then even the powerful Kyuubi had gone through something traumatizing before becoming the daiyoukai he was today. And as much as he hated what Neku did to him (at times), what he had seen in that dream/memory… was something he would not wish on anybody.

Not even Neku…

He scooted closer and – before Neku could say or do anything – pulled the Kyuubi backwards to him by his waist, making him gasp in slight surprise, and began to, delicately, place soft kisses along every scratch he found. Of course, that caused the fox to freeze up, which he had kind of expected after what Joshua had just witnessed. But that wasn't meant to last for long and soon enough, Neku began to try and get Joshua to let him go.

"J-Joshua! Let me go!"

"…No," the Composer stated simply, tightening his grip to ensure he wouldn't be brushed off (though he had a feeling that wouldn't matter if Neku _really_ wanted him to let go). "Just relax… it's not like I can really hurt you, can I?"

Even the scratches he had dragged over his back… Joshua doubted it really _hurt_ the Kyuubi, but he had a feeling that him doing so had triggered those horrible memories with the Kitsune. So, while it hadn't hurt him physically, it had struck him hard mentally.

"Th-that's not the point!" Neku hissed as he tried to remove Joshua's hands, but Joshua held tight, pressing one more kiss to a scratch right between Neku's shoulder blades. "Nrgh…! St-stop that…!"

"Sssh… just relax, dear… it'll be alright, I promise…" the silverette murmured in between kisses. "It's over now… it's all over…"

Those words seemed to strike something in the Kyuubi, because he tensed and he stopped trying to get Joshua to let him go. And again, the nickname flew right over his head, but Joshua supposed that that didn't even matter right then. Instead, he focused on what he was doing, dipping his head further down to reach the scratches along his sides and his back.

'God… there's so many of them…' Joshua thought absently, and a little guiltily.

Suddenly, Neku's body began to shake a little less than subtly, and he almost curled up in himself, a peculiar sound escaping his throat. Joshua frowned, because he _knew_ that sound, but he was unable to place from where he—

And then it hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Neku…?" Joshua murmured, pulling away and trying to move around the Kyuubi to look at his face, but Neku turned away from him almost immediately. "Neku, look at me…"

No response, but Joshua could tell from the tightened jaw that Neku was probably biting down on his lip, and quite hard.

"Neku… dear… look at me… please…"

Even the quiet endearment didn't have the effect that Joshua was hoping for, and this was beginning to gnaw on Joshua. This was just wrong… wrong on so many levels that the Composer had no idea where to begin.

Okay, yes, Neku was an all-powerful daiyoukai who had threatened his city with erasure long ago.

Yes, Neku had fooled him into believing that he had always been a human, while he had been anything but.

Yes, Neku had forced him into so much that Joshua would have never agreed to in any other situation.

But despite all of those things… he still trusted him. And… in a way… he actually considered the redhead to be a friend…

Softly but firmly, Joshua took hold of Neku's shoulder and forced him to turn around. The sudden motion had startled Neku enough that he didn't have the chance to move away…

…and because of that, he didn't have the chance or the time to wipe away the tears that were streaming down his face.

For a few long seconds, the pair stared at each other, remaining deathly silent, before Neku pushed him away and covered his face with both hands as he seemed to duck into himself. And then he almost whimpered out: "Don't look at me! Don't… _look at me!_"

Joshua's heart twisted painfully in his chest, almost unable to believe that this was the same Kyuubi who had been making his (after)life miserable for the past 2 months. It was just so hard to believe that one trip into his own dark memories could turn a powerful daiyoukai into a shivering, harmless little fox cub.

And yet…

Slowly, Joshua reached out, taking hold of Neku's wrists and tugging his hands away. "Neku… look at me…" he urged, lightly rubbing his thumbs along the inside of his wrists. "Please… look at me, dear…"

The Proxy hiccupped once from his attempts to keep his tears at bay, before he blinked once, and raised his head just enough so that he could look at the Composer from under his own lashes. And Joshua couldn't help himself when he saw the expression on Neku's face, a combination of pain, fear, and actual sadness; he pulled Neku to him, wrapped his arms around his shoulders and held on tight, ignoring the startled gasp from the fox. He couldn't care if this surprised, or even confused, the Kyuubi; that wasn't important now.

"It's over… he won't hurt you anymore… I promise…" he whispered, adjusting his hold just a little. "It's over now… it's all over…"

Joshua felt it coming long before it happened, as Neku's entire body trembled and his irregular, though quiet, breathing caused his chest to brush against his own, before the fox dared to reach out and wrap his arms around Joshua in turn, and then he buried his face in Joshua's shoulder and cried. And Joshua merely held on, gently rocking him as he murmured over and over that everything was okay now, holding him so tenderly like a mother would hold her child after a horrible trip.

No matter who or what you were… _no one_ deserved to go through the horror Neku must've withstood as a child…

* * *

><p>"…say, Jin."<p>

The brunette didn't look up from his drawing in the slightest, but he hummed once to let Ruka know he heard him and that he was listening.

"So how long have you been able to… 'see' those things?" asked the long-haired man.

"…I've seen them since forever…"

"Really? Huh… okay…"

Silence befell the room for a long time, as Ruka sat on the windowsill, looking outside quietly.

It was already dark, and Ruka had once again shown up outside of Jin's room on the fire-escape. And while it hadn't been raining, Jin had opened the window wordlessly, granting the silver-haired man access to his room. Ruka had then perched himself where he sat now and hadn't said a word for the last two hours as Jin worked on his drawings.

"…why're you even here?"

"I'm getting distracted, that's what," said the man casually as he leaned his chin on his knuckles. "I'm supposed to be getting that foolish little brother of mine home, and I keep getting distracted by your Imagination whenever I'm in the area…"

"…is he the same as you?"

"Ooohhh, so you _did_ notice," Ruka said with a small chuckle. "Bright boy. And yes, he is."

Jin glanced back at Ruka for a moment, his eyes watching him with a blank look. He already knew that what he saw was something not everyone could see, but he had never said a word until now. Possibly because he just didn't care enough to comment on the nine swaying shadows that always surrounded the silver-haired male.

"…whatever…" he mumbled finally and went back to his drawings.

And Ruka only chuckled, briefly shaking his head before he turned back to the world outside. He'd known from the first moment he stepped into the room that there was something special about the boy. Humans would call him either socially awkward, or just plain antisocial, but Ruka called him cautious and weary. Of course, he'd never say that to Jin's face; he didn't feel like messing with Jin's powerful Imagination, after all.

'Hmm… the little one would no doubt say he's got talent… and I admit; I quite agree. However, how would one offer it? Hm… decisions, decisions, decisions…'

Ruka briefly shut his eyes and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly and opened his eyes… his pupils slashed vertically across the iris.

* * *

><p>"…I know it's probably silly of me to ask… but do you want to talk about it?" Joshua asked as he carefully smeared some lotion over the many scratches on Neku's back. The Proxy said it was an ointment that would speed up his natural healing (which was already fast to begin with), but it surely had a nasty odor. He couldn't even begin to think how Neku was taking the smell with his nose.<p>

"…no…"

"…Alright."

Joshua had expected that. Neku might be a daiyoukai, but that didn't mean he had lost his pride, which he now appeared to be desperately scraping together again after he'd let his emotions go like he had. When the Proxy had been able to calm himself down, Joshua hadn't said anything, as much as he wanted to, and had only held on until Neku had lightly pushed him away, stating that he was okay now.

"…Can I at least ask who…? I know it's probably useless since he is probably…"

"…do you remember… what Kamui said…?"

"…about?"

"…the person who murdered my family…"

"…" Joshua paused in his actions for a few moments, breathless, before he managed to speak. "…that… was a Composer…?"

"…from before the name 'Composer' was created…" Neku said slowly. Joshua nodded once, and then he continued smearing lotion over the scratches carefully. "…they were called 'Overseers' then… and they had… more authority to do as they pleased…"

"…so… that was why…?"

"…yes…"

"…Neku… I'm—"

"Don't," Neku interrupted. "…you had nothing to do with it… there's no reason to say it…"

"…"

Joshua remained silent, unable to say anything in response. He could only imagine what Neku had to live through, though in all honesty, he really didn't want to. Just thinking about it made him _sick_.

"…There. That's the last one," he said finally as he finished the smearing the lotion over the last scratch.

"…ah, thanks…" Neku said slowly, before he reached up and placed his hands on his opposing shoulders. After taking a deep breath, which he held for a short moment, the Kyuubi then whispered: "…hatsukei. (*)"

Joshua didn't have the chance to question it, since he was distracted by a pale light coming from the juncture between Neku's shoulder blades, gradually expanding until it covered both shoulder blades and at least half of his back. The glow made it very difficult to determine what it was exactly, but whatever it was, the glow spread to the scratches on his back. And, gradually, the glows—and scratches—faded away.

As the glow faded entirely, Neku groaned and almost tipped forward, but Joshua grabbed him by his shoulders and ensured he stayed upright. "Urgh… dammit… hate doing that…" the fox mumbled softly, a soft growl underlining his voice.

Joshua didn't even hear the words; his attention was drawn completely to the emblem that was now emblazoned across Neku's back. Right in between his shoulder blades along the spine, rest the image of a fox that appeared ready to pounce, and nine long tails curled around it, four on the left side and five on the right, positioned in such a way that they actually resembled wings.

Slowly, he brought up a hand and traced one of the tails with a finger. "…Neku… what is this?"

"…hm? Oh, that?" Neku asked in turn, placing one hand on his shoulder, his nails just missing the emblem. "Two things; a seal, and proof."

"Proof?" Joshua repeated curiously.

"That I reached the nine-tailed stage."

"I see… and what does it seal?"

"…Stuff," was all Neku replied to that, as the emblem slowly began to fade back into the skin. "What exactly isn't important…"

Joshua sighed exasperatedly. He should've known Neku wouldn't give up all his secrets so easily. "If you say so, dear."

"Don't call me that."

Joshua allowed a small half-smile at the familiar mumble, even as he ran his fingers slowly along the Kyuubi's back. There wasn't even one scratch remaining, and the skin was perfectly smooth beneath his finger pads. The Proxy didn't respond to the touch much, besides how he leaned back just slightly, breathing quietly.

As much as Joshua enjoyed the quiet serenity, though, there was one more thing he wanted to know…

"Say, Neku?"

"…hm?"

"I'm curious… just who are 'Ichi' and 'Hachi'?"

The silence that followed was something Joshua had expected already, but finally, Neku sighed heavily, and reached up to rub his temples. "…guess I got no choice…" he grumbled softly. "…Fine. They're memories."

At that, Joshua blinked, twice. "…Memories?"

"Memories," Neku confirmed with a small nod, before he dropped back against Joshua, making the Composer yelp softly in surprise. Once the Kyuubi appeared to have settled with his head on Joshua's shoulder, he turned his head up so that he could face Joshua properly. "More precisely; they're my memories."

"…I'm not sure I follow, dear," Joshua murmured, and yipped when Neku reached up and flicked his forehead.

"Don't call me that. And it's like I said; they're my memories, only with a physical shape. Simple as that."

"…how is that simple?" Joshua questioned, making Neku groan.

"Do I actually have to explain everything? Urgh…" The Kitsune rubbed his temple in slight annoyance before he spoke again, though he refused to budge from where he was now resting his head on Joshua's shoulder. "Fine. It's a skill of mine. I can manifest my memories into a physical shape and, to everyone seeing them, they will appear to be who they're meant to represent. So Ichi would be able to take my place if I wasn't feeling up to it."

"Ooooh… so _that's_ where he came from," Joshua said, finally starting to understood.

"Yep. I had him go to school in my stead."

"Isn't that… cheating, however?"

"How is that cheating? He knows what I know, so even if there was a test, he'd perform just the same as I would."

"Oh?"

"Yes, and I'm done discussing this…"

Joshua debated on pressing the matter, but he supposed it didn't matter. It probably wouldn't get him anywhere. "Very well, dear."

Surprisingly, Neku snarled and sat up straight before he turned around to face Joshua properly. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?"

"Awww, but why?" Joshua giggled out, moving some of his hair out of his eyes. "The expression you make is _sooooo_ cute."

Joshua was expected a growl, maybe even a snarl, but what he wasn't expecting, was for Neku's lips to slowly turn upward into a smirk. "Oh really?" he purred out slowly, and Joshua did _not_ like that expression in his eyes just then. Sadly, he couldn't get far, since he just realized that one of the fox's tails had wound itself around his waist when he wasn't paying attention, keeping him in place as Neku waded closer to him. "That actually makes me wonder…"

"Um… w-wonder what exactly?" Joshua got out, cursing himself for stammering. He'd given up on getting away, knowing he had no chance of fleeing with the fox _so_ _close_.

Neku hummed for a moment, seemingly in thought, before his smile returned, though it seemed almost a tad cheeky. "Wonder how _you_ would respond to something like that… _sweetheart_."

The moment Neku finished the endearment, Joshua could _feel_ his face flushing bright red, and he even felt it running down his neck. For some reason he couldn't explain, that single word sent a rush of warmth throughout his body, and that seemed to be exactly what Neku wanted.

"_Oooooh_… _very_ nice… that looks _very_ good on you, _sweetheart_…" the fox crooned.

"D… don't c-call… m-me th-tha—mmph!"

Joshua could only moan when Neku locked their mouth together as he pulled the silver-haired Composer up against him. As much as he wanted to object, he couldn't do it as the Kyuubi's fingers trailed along his sides and his tongue played with his own. Unable to resist, Joshua brought up his arms to wrap them around his Proxy's neck, both deepening the kiss even further and preventing Neku from breaking away. He could vaguely hear himself moan out Neku's name through the kiss, but he couldn't care in the slightest.

Despite his grip on Neku's neck, the fox pulled back eventually and began to kiss, lick and suckle all along Joshua's neck and throat, making him whimper softly. "Ne… Neku…" he gasped out, gripping onto Neku's shoulders tightly.

"…_mine…_"

Joshua blinked once when he heard the soft murmur, but then he wailed and threw his head back as Neku pinched his nipple.

"…_mine…_"

The Composer groaned as Neku sucked long and hard on the juncture between his neck and shoulder, no doubt leaving a very large hickey on that specific spot. And yet he couldn't care one bit…

"…_mine…_"

The word was no more than a whisper every time, but Joshua heard it and felt it against his throat, accompanied by the soft rumble of Neku's purr.

"…_mine…_"

Joshua whimpered, before he whispered out softly: "_…yours…_" as Neku moved from his throat to his chest.

"…for how long?" Neku breathed out, tenderly, as his fingers slipped along Joshua's spine.

"…wh…?"

"…for how long?" the fox repeated softly, just as he thrust two fingers inside of the boy without warning, making Joshua cry out in surprise.

"_Ah! _N-N-Ne… k-kuuu!"

"For how long?"

"F-for… for… e-ever… forever…" Joshua moaned out as Neku's fingers spread apart and turned inside him. "For… e-ever… _aaaah…!_ Ne-Neku…!"

The Kyuubi didn't respond to the words, but he did remove his fingers and adjusted his hold on the Composer, lightly holding his hips. "…ready?"

The silverette gasped harshly for breath for a few seconds, before he nodded once. "…please… do it…"

No more words were spoken, and Joshua exhaled as Neku lowered him, letting his muscles relax completely, and then he moaned as he felt the Kyuubi's cock pulsing inside of him. They remained like that for a long time, but finally, Joshua breathed softly, into the Kyuubi's ear, so softly only he could hear: "Please… move…"

And he did, and Joshua moaned as he held on tight, fighting back against the waves of pleasure that rushed along his spine, but for a different reason than before. He wanted it to last, just this once, whatever for, he didn't even know. There was just something different that made the Composer wish to prolong this feeling for as long as he possibly could.

He breathed the Kyuubi's name over and over again, wishing and praying secretly to never let this end…

* * *

><p>(*) I did a quick search for Japanese words meaning "release", and this was the closest I found to what I wanted. "発勁 [はっけい]", pronounced as above, I believe, means "release internal power", which is pretty much what Neku just did. If I'm wrong with the pronunciation or if there's a better way to say it, let me know.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I wanted to add more to this chapter, but I ran out of ideas. I really don't want to give too much information about Neku away just yet. I'm saving that for later.**

**So anyway… Neku's getting even with Josh now for the "dear" nickname, so that should prove to be interesting in the long run. And it seems Ruka might not be merely who he appears to be.**


	11. Stage 11 The Song

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 11 - The Song<strong>_

When Joshua awoke again, he was, once more, alone, but this time he was in Neku's bed in his apartment, and the other end of the bed had its covers thrown aside a little haphazardly. Which meant that the fox in question was most likely up, though when he strained his hearing, he couldn't hear the shower going. So, a little worried, Joshua got up, noting that he was wearing what he believed to be a spare set of sleepwear from the Proxy, and headed for the bathroom.

However, as he had already expected, it was empty. With that confirmed, he walked to the living room.

There, he had a little more luck.

"Morning, dear!" he chirped, and Neku looked up from where he was standing by the coffee machine with a small frown.

"Don't call me-_cough cough!_-urgh… dammit," the Kyuubi hissed, before he turned to the sink and spat out something into it. "Just some slime," he mumbled upon noticing Joshua's frown, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Coffee?"

"Hmm… just some tea for now, if you please."

"Figured as much…"

Joshua merely giggled as he moved to the kitchen table, while Neku finished making coffee for himself and a cup of tea for the Composer. Neither of the two spoke as they nursed their respective drinks, content for the moment with being lost in their own thoughts. As they did, though, Joshua couldn't help but feel like the entire thing was a bit… surreal.

Two months ago, Joshua would've never thought such a thing to be possible, but here they were, not even speaking and merely drinking a warm beverage. Quietly, he swirled his tea around in his cup, watching the liquid slosh around a little and take on some rather peculiar shapes.

"_Penny for your thoughts,_" Neku said suddenly in perfect English, making Joshua look up in surprise.

"Pardon?"

Neku chuckled. "It's an English saying. I'm pretty much asking 'What's on your mind?'"

"Ah." Joshua shook his head briefly. "Nothing, really. Nothing important, anyway."

The redhead cocked an eyebrow in silent question, but after a moment, he shrugged and took another sip of his coffee. Joshua was a little surprised when Neku didn't prod, but he wasn't about to question it and looked down at his cup as the liquid stilled, before downing the rest of his tea.

"So… what did you have planned for today?" he asked after a moment.

Neku blinked, before he frowned in thought. "Today…? Well… we were supposed to meet the others for karaoke, but that isn't until tonight… So… no clue, really. …although…"

"Hm? Although… what?" Joshua asked casually, not sure if he liked the deep frown on Neku's face.

"Well… I was actually considering going on a 'fox hunt'."

"Oh? Going to look for your runaway brother, hm?"

"Yeah… I _really _doubt he already left after just that last meeting… That's just not him." Neku paused to down the remainder of his own beverage. "I'm not going to ask you to come along… might have a better chance if I'm alone…"

"Oh, I beg to disagree," Joshua quipped with a chuckle as he twirled a lock of hair around a finger.

"Hm? How so?"

"Think about it; isn't it _me_ he appears to be after? Wouldn't it be better for me to come along as, shall we say, bait?"

"…you serious?"

"Hmhmm."

Neku seemed to be seriously considering the concept, a deep frown on his face, and finally he sighed heavily. "Whatever… don't blame me if you get hurt, though."

"Hihi. Roger, sir."

* * *

><p>Given the recent shift in temperature, the pair decided against their usual dress code and had opted for some long-sleeved sweaters, dark jeans and sneakers. They also made sure to grab some jackets and scarves, just in case. And, also just in case, Neku grabbed along a handful of his pins from his time during the Game, and Joshua couldn't help but be amazed at the amount of pins Neku actually had; one of each of the pins that were available during that time, including the Yen and rare metal pins. Neku had been keeping them in a large, leather bound collector book that had been meant for Tin Pins, allowing them to retain their sheen, even after five years.<p>

When questioned about why Neku still had them all, the only response was: "Why not? Spent so much time collecting them, seemed a waste to throw 'm out."

And once they were packed, they left the apartment and began the trip through Shibuya. It was dry, but there were more than a few puddles that they had to be weary off, especially with the cars racing past. Despite the threat of rain, however, Shibuya was as busy as ever, and this made their small mission a little bit difficult.

"Goodness… sometimes I wonder if Shibuya ever quiets down," Joshua chuckled out.

"Hahah… don't count on it," Neku laughed, adjusting the collar of his turtleneck sweater to cover his whole neck. "I'd go as far as to say that Shibuya never sleeps."

"Hihi. That wouldn't surprise me at all."

They spent a long time just walking, sometimes going into shops and survey some new stock, saying hi to the shopkeepers that they had come to befriend throughout the Game, and finally pausing at the place it all began; Hachiko.

"…I actually think this is a 'safe zone'," Neku murmured, looking up to the bronze statue.

"Hm? How so, dear?"

"Don't call me that! Anyway, Kamui's scared to death of dogs."

"…Heheh. Really now?"

"Yeah… course, he'll never admit to that. Would anyone, really?"

"Hmm… I don't believe they would, no."

"That was a rhe—OOF!" Neku staggered back after colliding with someone who had been coming from the other way. Since he'd been looking at Joshua, he hadn't seen the other until they'd already collided.

"Urgh…"

Neku blinked as he recognized the slightly annoyed growl and looked up. "Oh! Jin. Sorry, man. Didn't see you there."

The brunette looked up wordlessly, before he snorted and looked aside, obviously not caring one bit. Joshua quirked a curious eyebrow, but didn't say anything in response.

"What're you doing here, though? I wasn't expecting to see you this far out," Neku continued.

"…stuff," Jin mumbled under his breath. However, as he did, his eyes suddenly flicked back, and looked past Neku and Joshua, and then he frowned. "…you know you got a tail on you, right?"

Neku briefly tensed, and almost reached back with one hand, but Joshua quickly asked: "A tail? Whatever do you mean, Jin-kun?"

"…same guy that's been tailing _you_ few days ago…" the brunette said solemnly, reaching up briefly to adjust his cap over his eyes. "…think you ticked off a youkai or whatever…"

Upon hearing those words, both men froze in surprise, before they shared a look with each other. They were both thinking the same thing, but also wordlessly asking the other if they had even _noticed_. Neither had, of course. That's what Neku had said, after all; Kamui can blend into an environment and no one would know he's there…

But apparently Jin _could_.

"STOP THAT GUY!" someone suddenly shouted, startling the pair and making them whip around.

Jin however… did something that was highly unusual of him; he smirked, and then he bolted, a loud bark of laughter erupting from his throat as he ran. Both Neku and Joshua stared after him in surprise, before another, older man, a cop, by the looks of it, ran past them and after Jin.

Said brunette, however, darted between the crowd of people, never once colliding and spiraling out of the way of near collisions, while bounding off of benches and walls, sliding down railings and spinning on poles before he disappeared completely within the mass of people and almost easily lost the man on his tail. (*)

"…Well… that was awkward…" Joshua murmured softly after a long moment of silence.

"…Borderwalker…"

Upon hearing the soft murmur from beside him, Joshua blinked in surprise and turned to Neku. The Proxy had a strangely distant look on his face, his pupils actually slitted across the center. "Hm? Did you say something, dear?"

The redhead jumped, as though startled awake from a daydream, and his eyes returned to normal when he blinked. "Huh? Wha…? Oh uh… n-never mind… don't mind me… just rambling…" Neku mumbled, bringing up a hand and running it through his hair absently.

Of course Joshua was suspicious, but he had a feeling that Neku wouldn't tell him anything even if he asked. So, for the time being, he shrugged the matter off and went back to the situation at hand. "If you say so… Now, shall we go see what had Mr. Police Officer so bothered?"

"…Sure. Think he was coming from the station underpass."

* * *

><p>Wordlessly, the pair made their way to the station underpass, though Neku did occasionally look back over his shoulder, as though expecting to see his fellow Kyuubi somewhere. Thankfully, the daiyoukai didn't show up, and this suited both of them just fine.<p>

The moment they stepped into the underpass, they both gasped and almost jumped backwards. Joshua hadn't been there for a while, but he was certain the place did _not_ have such a powerful pulse of Imagination running through it last time he was there. It took them only five minutes of walking to find the source.

Joshua whistled softly as he stared at the wall before them, before he said: "Okay, I admit; that's impressive."

"You can say that again…"

What greeted them on the wall, was an incredibly detailed image of a furious, snarling three-headed hound, its snake-headed tail primed and hissing with its tongue lashing out, as the beast stood poised over a bed of flames and polished white skulls, its poisonous saliva dripping from its jaws; an image of Cerberus, the Greek hound that guarded the gates to hell.

"Interesting he put _that_ up around here…" Joshua murmured.

"Yeah… given how the path along the Shibuya River is named 'Rubicon'."

"Point exactly."

"…I wonder how much he knows…" Neku murmured in thought, to which Josh only hummed softly.

Joshua wanted to believe that it was all a coincidence, but after Jin's comment about them being tailed by a youkai, let alone the fact that he could manipulate his own Imagination to fight Noise (whether it was consciously or not), that theory became less and less plausible. The image was certainly not all that attractive for most people, and here in the underpass, the dark lighting made it a lot less noticeable, but Joshua had a feeling Jin had done this purposefully. He just didn't know why…

"Guess that's why the cops are after him, now…"

"Hmhmm… must've caught him as he was finishing up."

Neku hummed in thought, hand on his hip as he fiddled with his bangs. "Not sure why he would, but I guess you might just owe him one, Josh."

"Hm? How so?"

"If this works as I think it works… this _might_ just keep Kamui away. Dogs scare him enough, but three-headed, poisonous dogs with a snake for tail? Yeah, that would scare him half to death if he ever came across that."

Joshua blinked, before he chuckled. "I suppose it would. So I guess we can be almost certain that he won't jump me when a Game is going on, hm?"

"As long as you don't leave the Room of Reckoning, I guess so…"

The pair stood there for a few moments, just staring up at the mural in silence and taking in the Imagination that seemed to pour out of it. Joshua was beginning to understand why Neku said he had potential to be a Conductor; if he could somehow convince Jin to become his Conductor when he died, then he was sure he'd have no problems healing the remainder of Shibuya's wounds.

"…!" And somehow, that reminded him of something that he really should have wondered about much earlier. "…Say, Neku?"

"Hm?"

"I was wondering… when I get a new Conductor, finally, what will you do?"

At that question, Neku actually looked at him in slight surprise, for a moment, before he turned back to the mural with a frown on his face, deep in thought. "After that? Hmm… to be honest, I'm not sure. It depends on how much Shibuya's healed, I suppose."

"…And… what about when it's completely healed?" Joshua asked, cursing the hitch in his voice, but waiting breathlessly for the answer.

"Then… I'll probably be leaving Shibuya behind."

He knew that. He _knew_ that it was coming. The Kyuubi was there only to ensure Shibuya's stability and 'health', so if Shibuya was doing fine, there'd be no more reason for him to stay there. He _knew_ that!

…but… why did that confirmation just now twist his stomach into knots?

"…? Joshua?" Neku called out suddenly, turning to face the Composer properly. "What's wrong?"

"N…nothing…" the silverette said solemnly, turning away with his hands shoved deeply in his pockets. "Nothing's… wrong."

Neku frowned deeply for a moment, a little confused, though, also, a tad bit hopeful, upon hearing how the last word almost sounded choked. If he was reading the signs right, and he hoped – honestly hoped – that he was, then the Composer might just… just might…

"Josh… hey, look at me," he said softly, placing a hand on the silverhead's shoulder.

The Composer didn't respond immediately, though he was breathing just a little faster than he normally did, but he finally turned his head to Neku. "…Yes dear?" he asked with what was supposed to be a cheeky smirk, but it came out as a sort of sad smile.

"…" Just this once, Neku consciously ignored the annoying nickname, opting instead to ask: "Why are you crying?"

Joshua tensed sharply in response, then bit his tongue and mumbled: "W-who's crying? I-I'm not–"

But Neku didn't let him finish and reached up, using his thumb to wipe away the tear that was threatening to roll out from the boy's eye. "You are…"

"N-no I'm not! I-I just had some dust in my–"

"Do you actually believe yourself… Yoshiya?"

Joshua winced when Neku used his given name like that. He _never_ used it so casually. _Never_.

Then, Neku's other hand came up to rest upon his other cheek, and now both thumbs were wiping away tears that were steadily rolling down. "Tell me, Yoshiya…" he whispered, as he placed their foreheads together, forcing Joshua to look the Kyuubi in the eye. "Tell me… what's wrong?"

Joshua blinked once, twice, tears rolling down his cheek every time he did, and every time Neku would wipe them away before they reached his chin. His breathing hitched at that point, and he bit his lip briefly, before he screwed his eyes shut and clenched his fists tightly in his pockets.

"I… I don't know…" he choked out softly. "I just… I… it just… it… it h-hurts…" he whispered, and the quiet admission startled the Kyuubi, though he said nothing. "It… it hurts… s-so much…"

"…Where?" Neku whispered softly, moving some of Joshua's hair aside. "Where does it hurt?"

Joshua sucked in a breath, and it sounded like a sniffle, but he didn't care as he pulled his right hand from his pocket. He moved it over his chest for a moment, trying to isolate just where the pain was coming from, and finally found it on his left breast. "He… here… r-right here…"

If Joshua could see Neku's expression, he would probably have a good laugh at the surprise on his face, but at that particular moment, he both couldn't see it, and he couldn't bring himself to care. The expression was soon gone, however, and Neku sighed softly, before he pulled the Composer to him, ignoring the slightly startled gasp, and held him close.

The Composer blinked strangely for a moment, unsure, but slowly, he brought up his arms and wound them around the redhead's shoulders, burying his face in his shoulder and allowing his tears to flow quietly, an occasional sob escaping his throat. He didn't even understand why he was making such a big fuss out of this… but it just _hurt so much!_

And Neku said nothing. He merely softly shushed him and held him close, one hand on his back and the other resting in his hair. And when Joshua's legs gave out on him, he lowered them both down to rest upon their knees, never once relinquishing his hold on the Composer.

However, as they remained like that, Neku slowly looked up, his pupils contracting before they slashed down vertically across the iris, and his eyebrows angled down into a deep frown as he felt a sizzle of power that was far too familiar.

'Kamui…'

As he waited, however, he realized that the other Kyuubi refused to approach, but it was obvious that he was close. The redhead was expecting Kamui to lunge at them, but nothing. It was as though something was preventing him from-

Neku blinked once and looked from the corner of his eyes to the mural beside them, and he wondered…

'Could it…? I know I said it was possible… but I wasn't expecting it to happen…'

And still he held on to Joshua, even when his body ceased to shake and his sobs abated, and only once he was sure that all the tears had gone did he pull back to look the Composer in the eye again. "Better now?" he asked softly, making sure his eyes were back to 'normal'.

"…Yeah…" Joshua murmured, wiping away the last of his tears. "Sorry 'bout that."

"…Whatever…" Neku mumbled, bringing them both back to their feet. "…Hey, mind if we stop by your place for a tad?"

"Hm? Whatever for, dear?"

"Would you–…oh whatever. Let's just go. I wanna see something."

"Hihi. Sure thing."

As they went, with Joshua leading, Neku looked back briefly… but Kamui had vanished, leaving no trace of his presence behind. The redhead frowned darkly, before he wiped the expression from his face and walked after Joshua.

He'd deal with Kamui later… there was something he really wanted to check before that.

* * *

><p>They reached Dead God's Pad relatively quickly, and the pair was glad to note that none of the Reapers were there, though Joshua hadn't been expecting them to be. As they walked over the glass floor, the fish beneath it curiously followed their footsteps, as Joshua walked up to the bar.<p>

"So… care for a drink, dear?" he asked cheekily.

"Don't call me that, and I don't drink, period," Neku said simply, hands in his pockets.

Joshua merely chuckled as the redhead proceeded to move toward the pool table, a number of fish following after curiously. After shaking his head, he moved to the small mini-bar. Joshua didn't keep any alcoholic drinks in it, of course. He said it was to keep his Reapers sober during work, but it was actually because he hated the substance so much that it made him sick.

After pulling out a small bottle of juice, he turned around to Neku. "Sure you don't want—"

But the question died in his throat when he saw that Neku had snagged up one of the cues by the pool table and was in the middle of a small solo game, bent over the table with one hand on the soft velvet surface and the other holding the cue steady. The redhead seemed completely focused on the end of the cue, his breathing slow and steady. And then he struck the white ball and watched as it sailed right past the two balls he had set up, bounced against three walls, and then slipped right in between the pair, striking both as it did.

Joshua whistled a little as he walked over, while Neku moved around the table and seemed to study the positioning of the balls. "Wasn't aware you knew how to play, dear."

"Don't call me that. And it's just a matter of math. It's not that hard," Neku said, and so as to prove his point, he struck the white ball once again. And, effortlessly, it struck the other balls after hitting three walls. (**)

Joshua hummed a little, as he unscrewed his bottle of juice and took a sip, watching as Neku walked around the table in thought. The fox didn't even seem to care and just kept playing quietly, sometimes tapping his finger to his lip, before moving to the other side of the table. He played a few more times, before he finally stood up, put the cue down and stretched out his arms with a slight groan.

The Composer allowed a small giggle before he quipped: "You came all this way to play a game of pool, dear?"

Neku shot him a dirty look at the nickname, before he placed his hands behind his neck and cracked the joints there with a hiss. "No, I was checking something, but I can't really hear from here…" he mumbled with a sigh. "Guess I got no choice… can we go to the Room of Reckoning real quick?"

When asked to go the Room of Reckoning, Joshua had to admit, he was a little surprised. Just a little.

"Sigh… if you wish," he said, though he had to make a lot of effort to not let his discomfort show.

The last time the Kyuubi had been in the Room of Reckoning, after all… things had not ended well at all.

* * *

><p>The trip to the Room of Reckoning was uneventful for the most part. The only exception was that Neku occasionally stopped to look at CAT's artwork. When they finally reached the room, it was still the same as the last time when they had been there, though the snake drawings had been removed from the floor. After all, that had been proof of Megumi's rank as Conductor, and without a Conductor, the floor would remain blank until Joshua found a suitable replacement.<p>

"…Here we are," Joshua said as he turned to Neku, trying to appear confident of himself despite the dread that coiled in his stomach. "Happy now?" he asked as he twirled a lock of hair, a small nervous habit he had yet to grow out of.

"…Yeah," Neku mumbled, his eyes shut as he raised his face upward, as though to look to the sky (though with his eyes closed, he couldn't see much). "…This is much better…"

Joshua blinked a few times, as the fox's silent admission had been the last thing he was expecting. "Hm? You alright there, dear?"

"Yes… you need not concern yourself about me," the redhead said quietly, and Joshua couldn't help but bite his lip in slight worry.

He remembered the last time the Kyuubi had come here, of course. That had been when he had purposefully ignored the daiyoukai's texts and calls. And the result had _not _been pleasant…

* * *

><p><em>Even as his phone rang for the who-knows-how-manyth time, Joshua didn't even bother to answer it. He knew who it was; there was only one person it could be, after all. He was sitting on his throne, leafing through some files about the current Game's Players and occasionally adjusting the scores they had received. He had done that for a few hours already, but he didn't feel like taking a break any time soon.<em>

_He just wanted to clear his head a little._

_But just as he corrected one Player's score, a quiet exhalation by his ear made him freeze up in alarm, as a voice breathed out: "Should you really be giving such a low score now, Composer?"_

_Joshua wanted to speak, but something was blocking his voice and he couldn't swallow it down. Even as the pen in his hand was grasped by the end and lightly tugged from his slackened grip, he was unable to utter a sound as the seal on his wrist began to burn almost painfully._

"_So… tell me, Composer, was there any pressing reason for you to ignore me today?" the fox breathed out into the silverette's ear._

_However, just as Joshua was about to respond upon finding his voice again, Neku's hand snapped forward and covered his mouth, preventing any sound from escaping, at the same as the Kyuubi's tails shot out and coiled around each off his limbs and easily lifting him up from the throne._

"_You know what? I don't even care about your reason…" the Proxy purred out as Joshua attempted to get loose from his hold (which he was failing at). "Have you forgotten already? Until I say otherwise… your body belongs to me."_

_**Riiiiiiiip**_

_Joshua would've cried out when the fox's other hand easily ripped his clothes to shreds without even trying, had his mouth not been covered up, though this did increase his struggles. He knew what was coming now, after all… and, as always, he was powerless to stop it._

_Neku merely chuckled as he walked around and sat down on the throne almost casually before he deposited the Composer onto his lap, making the silverette yelp and moan behind the fox's hand as the Kyuubi's clothed need dug into his backside. His tails effortlessly kept Joshua where he was as he began to kiss and lick along the boy's throat, drawing a long, muffled moan from Josh. And the Proxy merely smirked as he let his hand play along the silverette's chest before sharply pinching his nipple and making the boy yowl behind the redhead's hand._

"_I'll make sure you remember for next time… until I say otherwise…" the fox murmured, reaching down slowly, nails dragging along the skin and making Joshua whimper, "this body…" and then cry out when the daiyoukai's hand grasped his own awakening arousal, "belongs to me."_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Snap<strong>_

Joshua almost, _almost_, yelped when someone snapped their fingers right in front of his face. As it was, he merely jumped in surprise.

"Lost in thought again, Josh?" Neku chuckled out.

"Oh um… sorry about that…" he said quickly, trying to distract his mind from going too far back. That was the last thing he needed… "So… satisfied?"

Neku shrugged his shoulders a little, before he said: "Almost. Few kinks here and there, but it's getting somewhere, finally."

"Hm? Whatever do you mean?"

The redhead considered what to say for a few moments, whatever for, he wasn't sure, but, when the Kyuubi smirked slowly, Joshua felt a twinge of dread form in his stomach. "Are you sure that _that's_ the most pressing matter on your mind right now?"

"H-huh? Wh-what do you-"

"Do tell… _Yo~shi~ya_…" Neku crooned as he stepped closer, causing Joshua to step back instinctively, "before I 'woke you'… what were you thinking of, hm?"

Joshua gulped briefly as he stepped back another few paces. "I… I wasn't really thinking of anything…!"

"Were you not?" the Proxy murmured, as they gradually ascended the staircase behind Joshua. "Are you sure… _sweetheart_?"

"D-don't call me-" But before Joshua could finish, Neku's hands shot up and he was shoved backwards to land right into his own throne with a yowl. And he didn't get the chance to get up, since Neku pinned his wrists to the armrests and kept him there. Of course, this made the silverette gulp in slight alarm, since the Kyuubi was now hovering right above him, a small, devilish smirk on his face.

"Are you sure?" Neku whispered, his face barely an inch away from Joshua's.

"Y… yes," Joshua nearly squeaked out, his entire body shivering from the proximity with the fox.

"I think you're lying…" Neku murmured, his smirk morphing into a grin. "I think… you were recalling… _that_ time, ne?"

Joshua froze up in alarm. It was moments like this that he started to wonder if Neku wasn't actually able to scan his thoughts in one way or another. Either that or he was just really perceptive.

"You did, did you not?" the redhead chuckled out, moving forward until their lips were only a breath apart. "It's useless to deny it… I can_ smell_ it on you."

He wasn't sure which of them moved then, but those were the last words that were spoken, before their mouths clashed together. He only knew for sure that he was moaning loudly as Neku's tongue slipped inside to play and he turned his head just slightly and allowed his own tongue out to play. And when Neku's hands released his wrists, finally, to slip under his shirt, he let his hands move up and grasp onto the Kyuubi's shoulders, humming pleasantly as the fox's fingers played over his bare skin and sent shivers down his spine.

When Neku finally pulled back, he started to place kisses along the Composer's neck and throat, instinctively making Joshua tilt his head to the side and grant him better access. The silverette whimpered as one of the Proxy's hands slipped downward and undid the button and zipper of his pants before sliding inside, palming his obvious hard-on.

Joshua groaned Neku's name as the Kyuubi squeezed and rubbed in just the right way to drive him insane. "Ne… Ne…k-kuuuu…! Please… m-more…!"

"Heh… insatiable little Composer…" the fox murmured softly as he slipped the boy's pants down along his thighs with his free hand. "Maybe I should just _not_ let you come, ne?"

"N-no…!" Joshua wailed out, even as his right leg was lifted over the armrest. "P-please… please I… I-I need…!"

"Need?" Neku purred in the Composer's ear as he nipped on the lobe, drawing a whine from the boy. "What is it you need, _Yo~shi~ya_?"

Joshua whined unhappily, clinging to Neku's shoulders as he, unwillingly, called to mind what had happened _that_ time, coloring his cheeks a bright red. He knew what it was he wanted—_needed_—right then… but saying it was… embarrassing.

"Tell me, _sweetheart_…" Neku crooned into his ear, making Joshua whine again. "Tell me what you need…"

The Composer whimpered as his entire body trembled, Neku's fingers skimming along his thighs and gradually moving higher but never close enough, teasing him. He tried to get the Kyuubi to get closer, but Neku kept moving back every time. This caused him to whimper pathetically, his fingers tugging on the material of Neku's shirt.

"Ne-Nek… kuuu…"

"Tell me, Composer…" the fox murmured softly. "What is it you _need_?"

Joshua whined unhappily, but he already knew the daiyoukai would not be satisfied unless he said it. So, with no other alternative, the silver-haired boy gasped out: "I… in… ins-side… please… I-I n-need…!"

"Need… _what_? You'll have to be a little more specific, _Yoshiya_…"

"Nrgh… N… Nek… Ne… ku…"

"_Tell me. Yoshiya…_"

His body was shaking almost violently at this point; he needed it _so_ badly…

"I… I… y-your… _ngh!_ I-I… I ne-need… _ah… hah… hah…_" Joshua swallowed, keeping his eyes shut tight, because he didn't want to see what kind of expression would be on the youkai's face when he said it. "Y… your… t-tail… pl-please… I-I…!"

Neku smirked slowly as he released just enough of his powers for one of his tails to materialize. And, without a word, the furry limb slithered down and flicked out at Joshua's entrance and the Composer yelped slightly in surprise, before he moaned anxiously as it slipped inside gradually, the tip wriggling almost anxiously.

He sunk his nails into the Kyuubi's shoulders, and he was about to open his mouth to beg again, but all that came out was a gargled scream as the furred limb was thrust inside without the slightest warning. Unable to say or do anything, Joshua could only hold on tight as Neku forced his tail further inside, before he pulled it out and slammed it back in, _hard_, over and over and over.

And the only thing that ran through Joshua's mind was…

_Harder faster more give me more please I want it I need it please take me harder move faster please please…_

"Ne… ku… I… I…"

Neku merely chuckled and moved forward, licking up the trail of saliva that was running down the silverette's chin, taking the time to kiss along the boy's face, and then connected their mouths together. The Composer of Shibuya whimpered and wrapped his arms tightly around Neku's neck, as though he was trying to disappear into the taller redhead.

The fox moved away finally, and whispered, his mouth barely a breath away from Joshua's: "_Come for me, Yoshiya._"

Joshua hissed slightly as all his muscles felt like they bunched together, heat pooling into his stomach, before he choked on a cry as his vision blanked out.

* * *

><p>Neku chuckled softly as the Composer slumped entirely, removing his tail and letting it disappear once again as he used his sleeve to clean the boy up, shaking his head. "Silly little Composer…" he murmured softly, as he placed a small kiss on the boy's temple.<p>

As he did, however, he shut his eyes, listening, before he lowered himself and placed his ear over Joshua's heart, breathing quietly. A normal person would have a steady, bumping heartbeat, one that was meant to point out 'I'm alive' to others, but for the Composer, it was different.

The heart of a Composer… was like a Song. For each Composer, the Song was different, with different notes and different instruments, different musicians and different singers. Every Song was unique, and it was through this that he could determine the state of the city which the Composers oversaw. The more frantic and more out of tune a Song was, the more a city was leaning to its corruption. It was such a waste of such beautiful music, and that's why he had first accepted this job; to ensure that such wonderful Songs would not go to waste.

"…Almost there…" Neku whispered quietly, as if he was speaking to himself while he listened to the Composer's Song. "You're almost there… Yoshiya…"

* * *

><p>"YO PHONES! Hurry it up will ya?!" Beat shouted out as Neku and Joshua walked over, and the redhead in question chuckled.<p>

"Coming, coming!" he called out as the pair hurried over, knowing better than to get into an argument with the blonde. "Are the others here already?"

"Hehe. You bet, yo! Ya guys were the last ones! C'mon! Let's go, yo!"

Joshua merely smirked as he followed after Neku and Beat into the karaoke bar. The place was thrumming with Imagination from all the customers that came to have a good time by singing their cares and worries away, and while it was a place that made Joshua feel just a tad bit woozy from the rush of energy, he certainly didn't complain. It just meant that Shibuya was not a completely lost cause.

Soon enough, the group of three reached one of the rooms, from which Joshua could already hear Shiki and Eri hyperly conversing with each other even through the closed door, and stepped inside.

As they did, the small group looked up at the new arrivals.

"Hey boys! About time you showed up!" Eri called out with a grin.

Shiki merely smiled and waved Mr. Mew's paw at them in greeting and Rhyme giggled. Josh was about to call a greeting, when he realized the girls weren't alone. Jin lay sprawled out along the armrests of one of the chairs in the room, his cap pulled over his eyes and his arms crossed over his chest. It was very difficult to determine whether he was really awake or if he had fallen asleep waiting for them.

"Sorry we're a little late," Neku said with a small smirk. "Delayed train cart. You know how it goes."

"Yeah yeah, sure, Neku, now come on! Let's get this gig started!"

"Well now… Eri certainly is the busy bee, isn't she?" Joshua asked as said redhead started moving about their room to get everything in order.

Shiki smiled absently from behind Mr. Mew. "Yeah… she says she's finally got the song to get Neku out of breath."

"Not going to wooork," Neku crooned with a small chuckle as he dropped down on a seat, as he picked up one of the drinks that had already been prepared ahead of time. "You're free to try, but you're gonna fail."

"Oh I don't think so!" Eri cried out as she finished selecting a song. "Because you'll be singing this one!"

Neku looked at the screen for a moment, before he quirked an eyebrow. "'Two-faced Lovers'? Seriously now?"

"Hey, you ain't _scaaared_, are ya, Phones?" Beat laughed out.

"Hell no," Neku grumbled, as he got up again. "I'm assuming you're expecting me to dance too, huh?"

"Don't we always?" Eri giggled out.

Neku rolled his eyes in slight annoyance as he walked over, while Joshua watched a bit curiously. Rhyme noticed and clarified, since this was Joshua's first actual time joining them. "Eri believes that if you dance to the music while singing you do better. Plus, it's a good way to lose some weight," she added the last part with a giggle.

"Hmm… I see. I'll pass on the dancing part, though. I don't do the whole sweating thing."

Beat laughed as he dropped into a seat. "We'll see 'bout that, yo!"

Meanwhile, Eri had shoved the mic in Neku's hand and scurried back to the couch, jumping onto her seat right next to Shiki. "Okay! Show us what you got, Neku!" she cheered out.

"Seriously…" Neku mumbled, but he pressed the switch to start the song anyway.

A few moments later, the screen shifted and Neku took a few long, deep breaths, before the music kicked off. Joshua stared in slight surprise when Neku shut his eyes quietly and began to move in time with the fast-paced tune, while some strange blue-haired anime girl dressed in black and white did the same thing on the screen behind him. And then Neku opened his eyes, took in a large breath and opened his mouth.

"Ii koto tsukeme no yume kara sameta watashi no nounai kankyou wa, / _What goes through my mind, after waking up from a dream filled with goodness,_  
>LOVE to iu etai no shirenai mono ni okasarete shimaimashite, sore kara wa.  _Invaded by this love that has no nature, After that.  
><em>Doushiyou mo naku futatsu ni saketa shinnai kankyou wo / _There was nothing I could do, for my heart that split into two  
><em>Seigyosuru dake no CAPACITY nado ga sonzaishite iru hazu mo nai no de / _The capacity to control it shouldn't exist so  
><em>Aimaina taigai no INNOCENT na kanjouron wo buchimaketa koto no hano naka / _The words I threw out into this ambiguously innocent argument  
><em>Dou ni kou ni ka genzaichi-ten wo kakuninsuru medama wo hoshi gate iru, sei. / _Somehow I want the eyes to affirm this current spot, naturally._"

Even as he finished the rapidly sung string of words that Joshua wouldn't have been able to follow if it hadn't been for the subtitles on the screen, the redhead barely seemed the slightest bit out of breath. That in itself earned him a lot of points, but there was also the fact that he was still dancing while doing so.

And then Neku took another deep breath.

"Doushite tsukume no mainichi soushite aashite koushite SAYONARA BABY / _Why are all the days filled with doing this doing that and doing all that, See ya baby!_  
>Genijtsu chokushi to genjitsu touhi no hyouri ittaina kono shinzou  _The two sides of this heart, that face reality and escape from reality_  
>Doko ka ni ii koto nai kana, nante uragaeshi no jibun ni tou yo. _Isn't there anywhere with goodness, not caring about the upside-down me._  
>Jimon jitou, jimon tatou, tamon jitou tsuremawashi, AHHH!  _Going around answering my own questions, mine being answered, answering others, AHHH!_  
>Tada honnouteki ni furechatte, demo iitai kototte nainde,  _I just instinctively felt it, but I don't have anything to say,_  
>Itainde, sawatte, aeide, ten ni mo noboreru ki ni natte  _It hurts, feeling, gasping, feels like I'm going up to heaven,_  
>Dou ni mo kou ni mo nicchi mo sacchi mo acchi mo kocchi mo  _Somehow, with no other way, here and there_  
>Ima sugu achira e tokibon de ike.  _I want to fly over there right now._"

This time Neku only had a split second to take another gulp of air before the song continued again.

"Moo LOVE-LOVE ni nacchattee / _I'm completely in love_  
>Oukakumaku tsuppacchattee  _Expanding my midriff_  
>Kyouretsuna aji ni buttondee  _Sprung by the strong taste_  
>Toushindai no ura-omote  _Life-sized duplicity_  
>Kyouhaku teki shibacchattee  _Bound by the menace_  
>Moumaku no ue ni hacchattee  _Pasting over the retina_  
>Moo LOVE-LOVE de ichatte yo!  _Just go at it, in love!_  
>Aitai tainai, nai!  _I want to see you not, not!_"

At the brief pause that followed, Neku took that time to regulate his breathing again, even though there was still no sign of a lack of air for the redhead. Flawlessly, he continued to dance to the beat, his eyes shut lightly as his body seemed to move almost unconsciously. And then he brought up the mic again and opened both his eyes and mouth.

"Iyana koto tsukeme no yume kara sameta watashi no nounai kankyou ga, / _What goes through my mind, after waking up from a dream filled with unpleasantness._  
>LOVE to iu etai no shirenai mono ni okasarete shimaimashite, sore kara wa  _Invaded by this love that has no nature, After that_  
>Doushiyou mo naku futatsu ni saketa shinnai kankyou wo  _There was nothing I could do, for my heart that split into two_  
>Seigyosuru tame no LIMITER nado wo kakeru to iu wake ni mo ikanai no de  _I can't exactly raise a limiter just to control this_  
>Taigai wa aimaina INNOCENT-na daisaigai wo furimaita EGO wo haramase  _Almost all of the ego scattered by this ambiguously innocent disaster was filled_  
>Dou ni ka kou nika genzaichi-ten wo kakuninshita kotoba wo te ni tsukanda you da.  _Somehow I want to catch those words that affirmed the current spot with my hands_"

This time, unlike earlier, there was no pause and Neku was forced to continue immediately.

"Doushite tsukume no mainichi soushite aashite koushite SAYONARA BABY / _Why are all the days filled with doing this doing that and doing all that, See ya baby!_  
>Genijtsu chokushi to genjitsu touhi no hyouri ittaina kono shinzou  _The two sides of this heart, that face reality and escape from reality_  
>Doko ka ni ii koto nai kana, nante uragaeshi no jibun ni tou yo.  _Isn't there anywhere with goodness, not caring about the upside-down me._  
>Jimon jitou, jimon tatou, tamon jitou tsuremawashi, AHHH!  _Going around answering my own questions, mine being answered, answering others, AHHH!_  
>Tada honnouteki ni furechatte, demo iitai kototte nainde,  _I just instinctively felt it, but I don't have anything to say,_  
>Itainde, sawatte, aeide, ten ni mo noboreru ki ni natte  _It hurts, feeling, gasping, feels like I'm going up to heaven,_  
>Dou ni mo kou ni mo nicchi mo sacchi mo acchi mo kocchi mo  _Somehow, with no other way, here and there_  
>Ima sugu achira e tobikome.  _I want to fly over there right now._"

Neku had slightly longer than the last time, but again, it was barely two seconds before he sang again.

"Moumokuteki ni iyacchattee / _Disliking it so blindly_  
>Kyou iku yotei sacchattee  _Making plans to go out today_  
>Doushite motte iwasecchattee  _Making me say no matter what_  
>Toushindai no ura wo mate!  _Wait for a life-size other face!_  
>Chouhatsuteki ni sasocchattee  _Inviting them provocatively_  
>Shoudouteki ni utacchattee  _Singing a song impulsively_  
>Moo LOVE-LOVE de ichatte yo!  _Just go at it, in love!_  
>Daitai, ai, nai.  _Mainly, love, don't have it_"

But before Joshua was about to raise his hands to applaud, Neku continued within a split second.

"Moo LOVE-LOVE ni nacchattee / _I'm completely in love_  
>Oukakumaku tsuppacchattee  _Expanding my midriff_  
>Kyouretsuna aji ni buttondee  _Sprung by the strong taste_  
>Toushindai no ura-omote  _Life-sized duplicity_  
>Kyouhaku teki shibacchattee  _Bound by the menace_  
>Moumaku no ue ni hacchattee  _Pasting over the retina_  
>Moo LOVE-LOVE de ichatte yo!  _Just go at it, in love!_  
>Ai ai ai ai nai!  _Love love love love, not!_"

And then the song was over and Neku wasn't the slightest bit out of breath, which earned him two things; applause and cheering from Shiki, Eri, Rhyme and Beat, and a surprised stare from Joshua. The young man grinned as he set the mic aside and walked back to drop down on the couch again.

"Dude! I was _so_ sure we got you there!" Beat laughed out as he caught the redhead in a headlock.

"Hahaha! Didn't I tell you? You're not gonna get me like that!" the redhead in question laughed, trying to get rid of Beat's arm around his neck, even as he looked over to his first Partner. "Shiki! You're up!"

Shiki giggled as she stood and walked over to the karaoke machine. And it didn't take her long to pick a song either as she picked up the mic. In only a scant few seconds, the peppy music poured from the speakers and Shiki was practically beaming before she opened her mouth.

"Kimi to watashi de HYUU HYUU / _You and I together. pant pant _  
>ATSUi kodou kizandara  _If we engrave this hot beat _  
>Kawaii nekomimi tsukete  _Let's put on cute cat ears _  
>Futari de GOROGORO shimasho  _And just roll around together_"

Joshua allowed a small chuckle at the third line, and Neku especially, as they watched the same blue-haired girl from before, only now wearing a pair of cat ears on her head, kitty paws on her hands and feet, tail included, dance in tune to the music, and occasionally batting at the air like the cat she was supposed to represent.

"NATSUi ATSU da ne FUU FUU / _It's blistering hot, huff huff_  
>Senpuuki no kaze abitara _ We bask in the breeze from the fan_  
>AISU ga tokete PATAPATA  _Our ice cream melts, drip drip_  
>Arara choppiri setsunai ne _ Huh, I'm a little bit sad_"

It was an easy enough song; not nearly half as hard as the one Neku had sung, and so Joshua lost interest soon enough. Instead of actually listening, the Composer spent his time sipping some lemonade and watching the others enjoying the brunette girl's singing, which was only a little off-key and only where it involved some high notes. The only one who didn't seem the least bit interested was Jin, who had remained in his 'sleeping' position even when the speaker above his head blared both music and song.

Upon close inspection, however, it became clear that the boy had a pair of earbuds in his ears, effectively blocking everything out. Smirking slightly, Joshua tapped into his powers as Composers, and tried to locate the music that Jin was listening to. It wasn't something he used often, but it was handy in figuring out how people ticked.

…but he heard nothing from Jin's headset.

Merely static.

Blinking slightly in confusion, Joshua stared long and hard at the brunette, but he showed no signs of noticing that he was being watched. And if he did notice, he wasn't making it apparent.

He was shaken from his musing when the others suddenly began to applaud and cheer, signaling the end of Shiki's song.

"Wait wait wait!" Eri called out as Shiki made to head to her seat, hurrying over. Though the brunette blinked curiously when Eri ran over, when the redhead whispered something in the girl's ear, the bespectacled girl flushed bright red. However, she let the other girl scroll through the selection of songs.

"Hm? Whatever is Eri doing?" Joshua murmured, but Neku chuckled.

"Oh I can guess."

Eri and Shiki both grabbed some of the glasses and guzzled them down quickly before hurrying back as the music began again. And then the song began and Shiki opened her mouth first.

"Kabosoi hi ga kokoro no hashi ni tomoru /_ A feeble fire is lit at the edge of my heart;_  
>Itsu no ma ni ka moehirogaru netsujou _ without my knowing, it spreads into burning passion._  
>Watashi no chou fukisoku ni tobimawari _ My butterfly flapped about aimlessly,_  
>Anata no te ni rinpun o tsuketa _ leaving behind some powder on your hand._"

Eri then brought up her own mic and brought up her mouth to sing the next part.

"Karamiau yubi hodoite /_ Pulling apart our intertwined fingers,_  
>Kuchibiru kara shita e to _ moving from our lips to our tongues,_  
>Yurusarenai koto naraba _ what we're doing do might be unforgivable,_  
>Naosara moeagaru no _ and that's precisely why we're so fired up._"

And then the pair began to sing as one, both of them with silly, but happy smiles on their faces.

"Dakiyosete hoshii tashikamete hoshii /_ I want you to embrace me closely and gauge my limit._  
>Machigai nado nai n da to omowasete _ Please make me believe that this is not a sin._  
>Kisu o shite nurikaete hoshii _ I want you to kiss me and repaint my body._  
>Miwaku no toki ni yoishire oborete itai no _ I want to be intoxicated and drowned in your charm._"

Unlike Shiki's song from earlier, this one was much more pleasant to listen to, and Joshua felt himself paying a little more attention to the lyrics. There was no mistaking that it was a love song, despite how the original singers (judging from the image on screen) were two girls as well. And strangely enough, no one really seemed to care.

They sang and danced, still smiling and with Shiki continuously holding on to Mr. Mew, and before Joshua was even properly aware of it, the song had already ended and the others were cheering and applauding again. Of course, Jin had yet to move at all.

"Phew! How 'bout we cut in a small break real quick?" Eri offered once she had plopped down on the couch againwith Shiki right beside her.

Beat, in response to those words, laughed. "Hehe. That's fine, yo! We got the time, eh?"

Joshua begged to disagree, but he didn't say that out loud, of course. He just took one of the drinks and sipped casually as the others broke out into conversations about everything and nothing. The Composer didn't really have anything to add to half their conversation, so he wisely kept quiet, though mostly because the Kyuubi was sitting right next to him. He wasn't exactly too eager to see what the fox had in store right then.

And, as expected, Jin didn't move an inch.

"Oy, Phones?" Beat suddenly called out, and the way he was rubbing the back of his neck showed he was feeling a little uncomfortable. "You a'ight, actually? Eri said your mum was… uh…"

"Hospitalized, yes," Neku said with a small nod. "Yeah, I'm fine. She's going to be fine with some time. I spoke to her on the phone few hours ago, actually, and she sounded fine."

The Composer allowed a small smile. He remembered that; Neku's phone had rung as he was rechecking his homework, and he had just blindly answered it without looking up from what he was doing. So when he had recognized the voice on the other end as his mother's, he had been almost ecstatic.

The Kyuubi had been on the phone for a while already, when Joshua had decided it would be funny to interfere. Which, in hindsight, backfired quite badly on him.

"Um, Neku? What happened, exactly? E-Eri said she'd… uh… s-she suffered a stroke…" Shiki stammered out, holding onto her stuffed cat a little tighter than usual.

"Yeah," Neku confirmed. "And we're not sure yet… she stopped smoking and drinking long ago, so unless she's been doing those things behind our back, it's a mystery how she got one."

Rhyme just listened with a neutral expression on her face for the time being, her socked feet on the couch and her hands on her ankles. Finally, however, she allowed a smile and said: "Well, she pulled through one way or another, so we shouldn't worry too much. All's well that ends well, after all."

Neku blinked curiously, but finally just smiled at the girl. "Yeah, I guess you're right, Rhyme," he said with a nod, before he blinked once and cocked his head a little to the side.

When the redhead did that, Beat frowned darkly before he snarled. "Oy, Phones! Don't go thinking of making any moves on Rhyme, yo!"

At those words, Neku actually chuckled with a smirk. "Wouldn't dream of it; I'll leave that to Jin."

The responses to those words were almost instantaneous; Shiki and Eri stared in surprise, Joshua turned to Neku with a raised eyebrow, and Beat…

"BWAAAAAH!? What the hell's that mean, yo?!" the blonde demanded, but Rhyme merely giggled.

"Oh? You noticed?" she giggled out, even as Jin _finally _moved, lazily moving his cap up enough so he could look out from under the rim.

"Whaaa?!"

Neku chuckled as he turned his attention to Rhyme again while Beat tried to process his little sister's words. "Well, it's very uncommon for girls to walk around with snake anklets, and Jin is the only guy we know who likes being 'out of the ordinary'."

"…sharp, Sakuraba," Jin mumbled as he pulled his cap back down, while Rhyme smiled at him (which he didn't see, naturally).

While Beat spluttered a few moments longer for something to say, Shiki and Eri finally caught on and smiled and grinned respectively.

"Wow! Way to go, Rhyme!" Eri congratulated immediately, pulling the younger girl into a bear hug. As she pulled away, she instantly began her list of 20 questions. "So how long and who asked?"

"Twelve days… and she asked," Jin said without looking up before Rhyme could reply, making said girl giggle again.

"Huh? Really? Well… I guess that makes sense… in a way…" Eri murmured thoughtfully.

"Um… h-hey, Jin? Why did you say yes?" Shiki added, her head tilted to the side curiously.

That question was answered by silence, which didn't surprise Joshua in the least. Jin didn't strike him as the kind of person who would willingly share every detail of his own, private thoughts. And this obviously included his reason for agreeing to date Rhyme.

And, finally, said girl's big brother managed to find his voice again. "Wait a sec! Rhyme, why didn't ya tell us, yo?!"

"Oh, well, we were curious to see how long it would take for people to realize," Rhyme answered with a smile.

"Whaaaa? How was anyone supposed to know with you just having an anklet, yo?!"

"…it's not our fault you didn't notice such an obvious difference…" Jin mumbled under his breath.

"Whatchu say?!" Beat shouted out as he leaped from his seat.

"Uh-oh…" Neku murmured softly.

"This won't end well…" Joshua agreed with a small frown.

"…maybe you should get your hearing checked…"

"Why you!"

"Oh dear…"

"Not good at _all_…"

* * *

><p>It took both Neku and Eri to keep Beat from throttling Jin for those comments, who didn't seem to care about it all in the slightest. But despite Beat's anger at the insults, he didn't make an actual comment about not approving his sister's relationship with the brunette. And even the current squabble was relatively easily dealt with, and it was Joshua who pulled that off.<p>

Joshua proposed the two men settle it with a match on the karaoke machine. Of course, Beat was quick to jump to the challenge, Jin… not so much, but Neku arranged _that_ one.

Rhyme was allowed to choose the song, and, as Joshua later learned, it was about a judge who lived in a kingdom where the innocence of people wasn't determined by evidence, witnesses, or anything similar, but by the person's wealth. The corrupt judge accepted any and all bribes for the sole reason of getting enough money to pay for the cure that would allow his invalid daughter to walk. A tragic story, really.

And, while Beat had sung the song of Rhyme's choice very convincingly, Jin's variation…

Jin did _not_ do dancing. He pointed that out from the get-go, and they were all okay with that, as long as he sang. But while he didn't dance, he made up for it by using his hands and his facial expressions. The latter one especially.

Given Jin's personality, it was hard for people to expect that much in the expression department, but surely, Jin surprised them all. In the second part of the song, there was a line sung after a short pause in which the judge said "Jigoku no sata mo kane shidai / _Money is the best lawyer in hell_", and just before he was to speak those words, Jin pulled down his cap to half cover his eyes, and then, as he sang them, he looked out from under it with a downright _evil_ smirk and glimmer in his eyes that made even the Composer of Shibuya shudder.

For the lack of emotion he showed normally, it was amazing how Jin was able to school his features to perfectly match what was being sung.

So, naturally, despite his lack of dance act, Jin was declared the victor, and even Beat grudgingly agreed to that (eventually).

After a brief break in which the group chattered amiably and discussed their course of action, it was Rhyme's turn, finally. The song she picked started out with a loud laugh from the girl, followed by "Saa, hizamazukinasai! /_ Now, kneel before me!_"

The song was about a girl of merely 14 who had been made queen of an entire country and who had everything she could ever ask for, and yet all she did in return to the people was wring them dry of all the money they had. And when she fell in love and her beloved loved another, she didn't do what any woman or girl would have done, which was to try and win him back.

No, this little tyrant had the other woman's entire kingdom massacred. And all she said in response when she heard the news that it was done; "Ara, oyatsu no jikan da wa / _Oh my, it's snack time_".

Of course, that wasn't meant to last and the people rebelled, and eventually, the girl was sentenced to death. The song ended with how the girl was known among the people as the "Daughter of Evil"

An interesting story, to be sure, though Joshua would not necessarily feel sorry with the little girl.

And then it was Beat's actual turn, and he changed that around entirely.

The song Beat had selected was the 'sequel' of Rhyme's song and was about the same queen's minister, who also happened to be the queen's twin brother. The two had been separated as children when the girl was made queen, and he became the girl's minister. In fact, as the song revealed, it was he who massacred the people of the country in Rhyme's song, but to make it even more tragic, he had fallen in love with the same girl he had been sent to kill, and yet he killed her anyway because his sister commanded him to.

And when the end came, it was revealed that it wasn't the queen who was killed, but the minister, as he and the queen switched clothes so that the queen could run and keep living.

Then came the ending of the song, and it almost had the girls burst into tears, even though they had already claimed to know the song.

"Moshimo umarekawareru naraba / _If we could be reborn in our next life,_  
>Sono toki wa mata asonde ne  _then please play with me again._"

After Beat's song ended, however, there came a part of the evening that Joshua had been dreading for a while now; his turn.

He had already feared that the song collection he could choose from would only include songs he didn't know (not without using his powers as Composer, at least), and that fear was soon confirmed as he scrolled through the list of songs.

"Just pick something, Josh!" Neku called out after a moment.

Joshua, in response, sighed dramatically and selected the first song he found. However, when he saw the title, he almost blinked, since he _did_ know this particular song. "Fine, fine, dear. No need to get antsy."

"_Don't call me 'dear' already!_" Neku snarled out, even as Eri and Rhyme giggled, while Shiki was barely able to hide her amused smile behind her plushy.

Unfortunately, Joshua was prevented from any further banter as the song began. He'd heard this song so many times when the anime it belonged to had been a big hit, so he barely had to think about singing; he just did it naturally as the words flowed into his head.

"Tooku no sora mawaru hana no enjin no kamabisusisa ni / _In the distant sky, twirling flowers form a clamorous circle._  
>Ano hi ya ano hi ni koetekita bunki ga me wo samasu  _And it wakes up the turnig point you passed through on that day, on that day._  
>Kagerou ni mi wo karite michi wo sasu musume wo oi  _In a form of a shimmer, you chase the girl who points the way._  
>Takadai ni arawareta na mo shiranu hirono ha natsukashiku  _Then you find a nameless and nostalgic field on a hill._

Are ga yume de miseta machi to kage no koe ga sasayaita / _"That is the city I let you see in your dream", whispered a shadow._  
>Kuru hi mo kuru hi mo ikusen no bunki wo koeta toki  _Day after day , day after day, when you have passed through countless turning points,_  
>Kuragari no kennjin ga suterareta hibi wo atsume  _a sage in the dimness will collect discarded days._  
>Umi zoi ni umi zoi ni mimo shiranu honou wo odoraseta  _Along the shore, along the shore, he makes an unknown flame dance._

Aa manntoru ga jozetsu ni hi wo hukiagete / _Ah mantle loquaciously throws up a flame_  
>Suterareta no ni tatsu hito wo iwau yo  _to congratulate the person who stands on the abandoned field._  
>Aa sizukana sizukana musume no shiya de  _Ah in the girl's silent, silent view,_  
>Aa mishiranu miyako ni hi ga tomori dasu  _Ah lights begin to shine in the unseen city._

Takaku sora syu ni some hi no moeru gotoku no kumo moyou / _High up in the sky, dyed in vermillion, clouds arise like a fire burning._  
>Ano hi ya ano hi ya ano toki ni nakusita michi wo mise  _It shows you the way you lost on that day, on that day._  
>Kurikaesi yume ni fuku kaze wo oi toki wo kudari  _Chasing the wind blowing repeatedly in your dream, you go down the flow of time._  
>Kawa zoi ni kawa zoi ni mimo shiranu shihuku no hana wo mita  _Along the river, along the river, you saw an unknown flower of felicity._"

Once the song had concluded, Joshua almost sighed in relief, but he kept it in even as the girls cheered and applauded while he walked back to his seat. Sadly, he missed the small, mischievous smirk that played along Neku's face as he sat down again.

"Oy, Josh."

"Hm? Something wrong, de–mmph!?"

Joshua wasn't sure why he had _not_ seen that coming, but there was no denying that the lip lock he was pulled into upon turning his head was both sudden and unexpected. He didn't hear Beat's surprised shout, Rhyme's curious "oh?", Shiki and Eri's squeals of glee, or Jin's uninterested scoff as the Kyuubi's tongue ran along his mouth about 3 times before he finally pulled away.

"_That_ was for the nickname, _sweetheart_," the redhead nearly purred out, and Joshua felt his cheeks heat up (just slightly, mind you) at the endearment.

"Holy… dude! What was that about?!" Beat asked in a combination of surprise and suspicion.

Jin scoffed again and leaned back into his seat with his arms crossed over his chest. "…that should be obvious…" he grumbled out. "Perhaps you should try and learn some common sense…"

"Whatchu say, ya punk?!"

Neku merely laughed and opened his mouth to respond, only to be cut off when his phone went off, the song Twister coming from his pocket. "Oh snaps…!" Neku hissed as he reached into his pocket and pulled the contraption out. He only barely glanced at the screen before flipping it open and bringing it to his ear. "Dad, what's up?" he asked immediately, as though he was already dreading the answer.

The others watched, a little curiously and a little anxiously as the redhead listened to the other side of the conversation. Neku remained silent for a few moments, barely seeming to dare to breathe, before he tried to speak. Unfortunately, his voice wouldn't work with him, and it took him a few times before he managed.

"…when?"

The group wasn't sure they liked the tone of Neku's voice; it was quiet, and sounded… empty. And the expression on Neku's face wasn't any better.

"…oh… n-no it's not your… …I know… yeah, 'kay… a'ight… I know… yeah, I'll be there… love you too, dad…"

Slowly, Neku lowered the phone and ended the call… and then, slowly, the phone slipped out from between slack fingers to land somewhere along the room's carpeted floor. The redhead made no move to retrieve it, however, and for a long time, he only stared down at the floor, his gaze empty and unseeing.

"Um… N-Neku…?" Shiki called out slowly, unsurely.

"Y-yo… Phones? Wha happened?"

Joshua, however, didn't even need to ask; he could tell from the few snippets they had heard and from Neku's blank expression exactly what was wrong. However, he wasn't sure if he should be the one to bring it up…

"…she's gone…" Neku whispered softly, and, as he blinked, a tear rolled down his cheek. "Mom… she's… gone…"

"…oh… shit…" Beat hissed out softly, rubbing the back of his neck while he bit his lip to keep himself from saying anything else before he swallowed his own foot.

Eri and Shiki looked like they wanted to say something, but this time it was their voices that failed. In the end, they could only stare at Neku sadly, and even Rhyme looked slightly stricken and at a loss for words, one hand covering her mouth as though she was about to chew her nails and the tips of her fingers off.

The only one who showed even less emotions than Neku did at that moment was Jin. The brunette just watched as a steady stream of tears started rolling down the redhead's cheeks after the first one had landed, and yet the Proxy made nary a sound. He did so for a few moments longer before he sighed, stood up while at the same time snagging up one of the drinks and walking over to Neku as he opened it.

"Here," he stated simply, holding the drink in front of the redhead, who looked up silently. "Drink."

Wordlessly, Neku reached out and took the beverage, and took a silent sip, not even questioning why Jin was even giving it to him as he was. Once he had it to his mouth, however, the redhead finally just tilted his head back and emptied the can in one go. Jin nodded once, as though confirming something, and then grabbed Neku under one arm and pulled him to his feet. "We'll be back in a few," was all Jin offered to the others as he guided Neku out of the room before they could question him.

As the door shut, though, Beat growled. "The hell's his problem, yo?! Phones' mum just–"

"That may be exactly why, Beat," Joshua stated casually, the first thing he'd said since Neku's phone call. "If I'm not mistaking, Jin also lost his parents before, correct?"

"Well… yeah, but–"

"In which case, he probably knows better than any of us _what_ Neku needs. So, let's just leave them be for a while, shall we?"

Beat clenched his fists tightly while he gritted his teeth. One glance at the girls, though, was enough to make him snag up Neku's can and crush it in his hand. "Fine! But I don't like this waiting game, yo!" he snarled as he threw the can into the trashcan.

"Easy, Beat…" Eri murmured. "It'll be okay. Let's just try and think of what to say to Neku when he gets back, kay?"

"Nrgh… fine!"

Joshua allowed a small chuckle, tucking some loose strands behind his ear. However, even though it didn't show on his face, he couldn't help but wonder about something. There was just something… odd, in the air. It smelled a bit familiar, but he just couldn't place it…

* * *

><p>"…you can let go now, Akataiyo," Neku said once they had stopped into the washroom, and Jin let him go, shutting the door behind them. "…so you noticed, huh?"<p>

"…Yeah," Jin mumbled as Neku walked to the sink and opened the faucet, letting the water pour over his hands before he splashed his face.

The redhead sighed briefly in what sounded like relief, before he raised his head and looked up to Jin through the mirror, his pupils slitted and black eye shadow surrounding his eyes, as well as two lines that followed the lines of his cheeks and a circular mark on his forehead. "You're sharp, Akataiyo."

Jin merely scoffed as the Kyuubi shook his head a few times, his long ears flying back and forth a few times. "I also know about that double you sent in a few times…"

"You do, huh?" Neku murmured as he moved his hair out of his face. "Won't ask how…" After saying that, he scooped up some water and drank it all down. "You really _are_ sharp…"

"Whatever… you pulled off quite the act, though… acting like you actually cared…"

"Actually, I wasn't acting," Neku pointed out, cricking his knuckles as his nails sharpened and clacked together a few times. "I might merely be a Kyuubi, but that doesn't make me heartless."

"…whatever…"

"You're free to believe what you want, but I don't lie," Neku said casually, taking another sip of water. "I just phrase things differently."

"…uh-huh…"

"So anyway… what? You wanted me to show off or something? That why you gave me alcohol?"

Of course Neku knew the second he put the can to his mouth that there was alcohol in it; his ears and tails had begun itching to show themselves the moment he took the first sip, but he'd managed to hold himself back until Jin had taken him out of the room.

"…No." When Neku looked at him curiously through the mirror, Jin said: "I was told to ask information from you."

"Information about what?"

"… the Reapers' Game."

* * *

><p><em>(*) When I wrote this, KH:3DS wasn't out yet, but I played the demo and I was SO fired up about getting it, that I just <span>had<span> to put that in._

_(**) This variation of pool is played with only three balls, and the point is to have the white ball hit the other two after hitting a minimum of three walls. I don't know how to play this (or any other type of pool), but I do know that the basis of the game is based around math._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Vocaloid songs;<strong>_

"Two-faced Lovers" by **wowaka**, sung by Hatsune Miku

"Nekomimi Switch" by **daniwell**, sung by Hatsune Miku

"magnet" by **minato**, sung by Megurine Luka & Hatsune Miku

"Judgment of Corruption" by **mothy**, sung by KAITO

"Girl/Daughter of Evil" by **mothy**, sung by Kagamine Rin

"Servant of Evil" by **mothy**, sung by Kagamine Len

"The girl in Byakkoya" original by **Susumu Hirasawa**, sung by KAITO

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Finally done! Took forever, mostly because I had to look up lyrics. Anyway, next chapter will be, slight spoiler, the confrontation with Kamui. I'll try to work on it ASAP, but I think I might be getting distracted by _Three Stages of the Collapse_…**

**Well, see you guys later.**


	12. Stage 12 The Battle

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 12 - The Battle<strong>_

It was 15 minutes before Neku and Jin came back, but when they did, Neku was looking better than when he had left, and he was carrying a box of what appeared to be popsicles.

"Whuh? What's with the ice cream, Phones?" Beat asked before he could stop himself, nearly resulting in him getting socked to the head by Eri.

"Ah, my dad would always buy me these if I was feeling down," Neku explained as he put the box down and pulled out several wrappers, handing them out. "Don't know why, or how, but it works…"

Beat frowned a bit, but took one of the popsicles, unwrapped it and stuck it in his mouth almost immediately. "Gah! Cold!"

"Oh really? I was under the impression it would be lukewarm, at best," Joshua quipped, earning a round of laughter from the others as they unwrapped their own pops.

Eri looked at the blue pop for a moment, frowning a bit curiously, before she licked it cautiously. "…huh. Salty… but _sooooo_ sweet!" she called out, immediately attacking the blue pop with her tongue. Shiki was equally occupied with the pop, though she was taking moderate licks to savor it.

Joshua usually wasn't much for ice cream (let alone sweet stuff), but he had to admit, the pops _did_ have a rather unique taste… even if he couldn't tell what it was…

"Hmmm… what flavor is this, Neku?" Rhyme asked with a pleased hum before she popped it back into her mouth.

"Yeah, what is it? I don't recognize the flavor _at all_!" Eri added.

"Sea salt."

Silence.

"…Say wha?" Beat asked with a dumbfounded look.

Neku chuckled and lifted up the box, showing it to the gang as he spoke the words written upon it. "Sea salt ice cream."

"Sea salt, hm?" Joshua murmured before he placed the ice cold treat to his lips and licked it for a moment. Eri hadn't been kidding; it _was_ salty, but at the same time, it was so _sweet_ that it had you craving for more. And because of that, he said exactly what he always did when he found something like this; "_Mmmm_… I'm in paradise."

Neku merely chuckled, before he focused back on his own popsicle, his eyes shut and one of his arm wrapped around his waist. For a long time, everyone fell silent to enjoy their popsicle, and even Jin had one stuffed in his mouth, even though he'd gone back to his seat with his legs dangling over one of the armrests. And like that, they stayed for quite a while.

When they finally finished their popsicles, they began to debate on what to do next. Given the news Neku had just received, they were all ready to call it a night, but Neku claimed it was okay for the moment and that he needed to clear his head and not think about what had happened for a moment, which is why they were soon back to singing and dancing for all they were worth.

* * *

><p>It was almost 10:30 when they <em>finally<em> decided to call it quits, and they all made to go home. However, _not_ before Rhyme had gotten up to her tiptoes to plant a 'goodnight kiss' on Jin's cheek, which had earned her a startled exclamation from Beat, and a series of laughs from the others – which almost doubled when Jin shifted his face before her mouth could connect to his cheek so that she hit his mouth instead. If not for Neku, Beat possibly would've ripped Jin to shreds, but Rhyme just giggled happily, whereas Jin adjusted his cap without a word.

Once everyone had calmed down again, they went their separate ways after saying goodbye, and it was only after they were alone that Neku released a long, suffering sigh and covered his face with both hands.

"Frickin… _dammit!_ Why didn't anyone… shit!"

Joshua frowned a little, before he reached out and placed a hand on Neku's shoulder. "Neku, calm down… it's done with. You can't do anything about it now…"

"I know that!" Neku snarled out angrily, before he sighed again and ran his hands through his hair, the beginning of tears pooling in his eyes. "Just… I just…"

Joshua sighed softly, shaking his head briefly before he squeezed Neku's shoulder. "C'mon. Let's get back, shall we, dear?"

"Don't call me—!" However, before he could finish his sentence, the Kyuubi cut himself off and froze in his tracks. "…"

"…Neku?"

Neku didn't respond immediately, before he looked around at the thin crowds, seemingly in worry, before he hissed: "Tune up to the UG. Don't ask why, just do it!"

Though a bit surprised at the words, Joshua was wise enough to do as Neku said and not question it. In a few seconds, he had moved his frequency up until he was in the UG – and no sooner had he done so or he yelped as Neku's sword was just barely in time to slice through an incoming red Noise that had lunged for his face.

The redhead was once again in full Kyuubi mode, including his black and silver kimono and the black eye shadow around his eyes, all of his tails swaying and his ears laying almost flat against his head threateningly, his sharp canine teeth poking out over his lip as he snarled dangerously. And one look around revealed why…

They were surrounded by a large pack of Noise of blood red coloring, a color he had never seen, even as Composer. The strange part was that they didn't even seem like the traditional Noise he was used to; their limbs were more rounded instead of jagged, but they still had claws and razor-sharp edges where they needed them. There were minks, bears, a few porcupines, and several large felines like panthers or lions, but the majority of them were foxes with a total of up to 6 tails.

"Don't let your guard down…" Neku mumbled suddenly, startling Joshua. "These are 'Pandemonium'. A type of Noise that borders between standard and Taboo… and these follow orders of their 'master'."

"Oh?" Joshua asked curiously, despite how he was actually frowning darkly. "Dare I ask… who is the 'master'?"

"Do you have to ask?" Neku snarled, glancing back and forth between the horde. "Grrrr… enough of this! ICHI! ROKU!"

Two of the Kyuubi's tails quivered briefly, before they snapped forward like a pair of whips and two figures landed on the ground before the redhead. One of them was the redheaded double of Neku, wearing easy JotM clothes and a Kitsune mask resting over his left temple, displaying his white eyes surrounded by black eye shadow and the Kanji for "one" on his forehead. The second one was a perfect copy of Beat, with blonde hair that had become longer over the years and now reached his shoulder-blades, where it was secured in a ponytail, clothed in the black leathered dress-code of Wild Boar, skateboard held across his shoulder. The only difference between him and Beat besides the Kitsune mask placed over his right temple were the dark garnet colored eyes and orange-red eye shadow, and the Kanji for "six" on his forehead.

"Crush them," Neku hissed out, and the pair immediately kicked off for the Pandemonium as the Red Noise lunged, dragging the Noise into their own realm and away from the Composer and Kyuubi.

* * *

><p>Ichi tapped the dark purple headphones that covered his ears as his head and foot moved a bit absently to the beat pulsing through his head, before he opened his eyes and brought up his left hand, Imagination solidifying around the limb as the Noise came into being just a little after him.<p>

* * *

><p>Roku placed his free hand on the opposite shoulder and rolled his shoulder, before he cocked his head left and right with a few soft cricks of the joints snapping back into place, and he glared darkly with a bit of a cocky grin on his face as the red Noise appeared.<p>

"Ready for a beat-down?!"

No sooner had he finished the shout or one of the fox-Noises lunged, but Roku dropped the skateboard, got on and then spun out of the way before he kicked up and slammed down on the Noise from behind, somersaulting away as the green light-puck zipped away from him.

* * *

><p>Ichi pushed himself back just slightly on his feet as the bear-Noise slashed at him and immediately warped five feet away. But as the light-puck centered on him, he kicked off with both feet and dashed into the bear, sending it flying backwards and into a number of its allies.<p>

* * *

><p>Roku laughed loudly as he smashed down with the skateboard on another of the porcupines, avoiding its spines by a hair even as he kicked off and landed on one hand, keeping the skateboard on his feet as he spun around and then shoved off against the ground and into the feline preparing to leap for him, crushing it against the ground.<p>

* * *

><p>Ichi lashed out with one hand and a long string of barbed wire snapped out and sliced through the Noise as they attempted to approach. He easily darted aside and away from the Noise when it came for him, sometimes warping away and sometimes merely stepping to the side. But either way, he managed to not get touched without showing any sort of effort.<p>

* * *

><p>Roku let out a roar as he jumped up and away from a bear and then dropped right down on top of the Noise with a sickening crunch. Just as he was about to get up, there was a brief flash and a grin spread over his face.<p>

* * *

><p>Ichi allowed a small smirk that was mostly hidden by the funnel neck of his shirt, but, wordlessly, he pressed down on the pin secured to his left sleeve.<p>

* * *

><p>"Le's step it up!"<p>

"No! Let's _end _it!"

* * *

><p>There was no way for the group of Noise to defend itself against the massive tidal wave that washed over them, and both Ichi and Roku howled out in laughter as they surfed across the massive wall of water and did as the Kyuubi had ordered them; Crush the Noise.<p>

* * *

><p>As the pair landed safely on the ground, facing away from one another, a blood red, intricate seal appeared in midair, which lasted for only a few seconds as Neku lashed out with his sword and cleaved the seal in half, causing it to burn up without a trace.<p>

"Done and done," Neku murmured with a quiet sigh. "Attacking from the LG… sure, _that's _fair!"

Joshua sighed theatrically as he twirled some of his bangs around a finger. "It would appear his patience has run out, hm?"

"He never _did_ like waiting games…" Neku snarled even as Ichi and Roku returned to his side after scanning the area properly.

"Yo, Bossman, we still gots a few portals scattered 'round," Roku said immediately as he came into range. "But looks like they's hidden in the Noise's zone sumwhere…"

"…Meaning we can't see the Noise until they're right on top of us, huh?" the fox mumbled, rubbing his temple. "Great… just peachy…"

"Hm? Something the matter, Neku?" Joshua asked, deciding to leave off the nickname for the time being.

"I can't explain everything right now, but let's keep it at that I can't enter that zone without being sighted," Neku said simply. "I'm not permitted to do so… and he _knows_ that!"

"Oh? And letting them go _is _allowed?" Joshua asked slightly in jest.

Before Neku could reply, however, Ichi was a little faster than the Kyuubi. "We have no Music of our own once we enter the zone where the Noise exists. Thus, we cannot be sighted there," the double said in a tone of voice that was quiet, yet firm.

"That so?" asked the Composer, experimentally reaching out in an attempt to hear the two doubles' Music…

…but nothing.

Not even a whisper of sound

"Hmm… interesting…" he murmured, before he shook his head. "But, anyway, we were talking about portals, I believe?"

"The portals allow the Pandemonium to take shape," Neku explained quickly as he looked around. "The only way to remove the threat of more Pandemonium is to destroy the portal."

"I see… and your double can't do this… why?"

"There was never need for him to learn it before… I was able to do it myself just fine until now…" Neku grumbled. "And before you start, no, I can't teach him now, because that would take several weeks."

"Hmm…"

Neku sighed one more time, before running his hand through his hair, scratching a little behind his ear. "…There has to be a loophole… _has_ to be…"

Joshua hummed softly, considering what to do, when…

"_Meeeooow…_"

Blinking, the Composer glanced down at his feet, spotting a mysterious black cat with, oddly enough, a blood ruby for an eye, and a nametag that read "Pluto". (*) As Joshua looked at it, it mewed loudly once more, as though wanting attention.

Had this been any other situation, Joshua would have probably petted the cat… but he wasn't stupid. He was in the UG, and he wasn't visible to anything living, including cats. For this being to be able to see him… it had to be in the UG as well.

Meaning…

"…Be off with you, now," Joshua hissed softly, turning away. "I'm busy."

However, because he was looking away, he failed to notice the small, almost evil smirk playing along the cat's face… as its two tails swayed behind it and blood red markings spread toward Joshua from its paws.

Neku's ears snapped up in alarm suddenly as a shift in the air made him aware of something. But his deduction came too late as a flash of blood red light lit up the area and almost blinded them…

* * *

><p>Joshua hissed at the pain in his skull, and then at the horrible static that was filling his ears, covering them in an attempt to stop the sound, but it was all for naught. The pain reminded him of the first days of his Game with Megumi, when his lack of contact with Shibuya had almost caused him to relapse and rush back to the sanctuary of the UG. That's what happened to Composers who left their wards, after all; they start to get a relapse like drug addicts and more often than not rush back "home" to soak up in their ward's Music.<p>

However, one look around, and Joshua could see he was still in Shibuya, and yet he couldn't sense her Music at all, and everything was in various shades of red, and it was starting to make him sick. He could see red, blurry, almost smoky visages of people walking back and forth, but that was it. And he had _no_ idea where he was…

But as he stood there, wondering, a growl resounded from behind him, and Joshua had a feeling he knew what he'd find when he turned around. And he wasn't mistaking when he found himself looking at several blood red fox Noises—Pandemonium, as Neku called them—snarling furiously at him.

"Oh well, that's just lovely," Josh sighed out, rubbing his temples. "All alone… in a place with Noise… disconnected from my precious Shibuya… whatever will I do?"

"…_haaaa_…"

That noise made Joshua turn in surprise, and what he saw had to be the first speck of true color he had seen since he had been brought there; a small, blue flame-like spirit, two tendril like arms that beckoned for him and a pair of white eyes that watched him almost eagerly.

"Will-o-wisp…" (**)

Joshua knew that, in the Celtic myths, a will-o-wisp could lead a person to their destiny, but in Japan, it wasn't usually like that. But when Joshua saw multiple others appear and form a long line, and then glanced to the Noise as they began to approach, he had only one true choice…

"Whatever doesn't kill me," he murmured, taking a few deep breaths to prepare himself, before he spun around and then took off running for the wisps.

The Noise roared and immediately gave chase, as the wisps disappeared before he reached them. But for every wisp gone, a new one joined the end of the line, drawing Joshua a path through the blood red streets he used to know so well and yet seemed so different to him now. The Composer usually didn't run this much, as he was not one to sweat, but adrenaline forced his legs to keep moving and spurred him on.

And he could only hope that chasing the wisps was not a bad idea.

* * *

><p>"Run however long you want…" snarled a quiet, cold voice. "No matter where you run… I'll hunt you down and end this!"<p>

* * *

><p>For however long he ran, Joshua wasn't even sure, but after a while, he actually reached an area he recognized, even through the red haze his vision had become; Hachiko.<p>

The wisps disappeared when he reached the statue and he fell against the pup's stone pedestal, gasping for breath with one hand held against his chest. Sadly, the Pandemonium were still coming, and Joshua had a feeling that the wisps couldn't offer any help to him now.

"_Hah… hah… hah…_ heh… heheh… yanno… if you're going to lead me somewhere… some help would be nice," he mumbled, as one of the foxes lunged with its long claws aimed right at his throat—

And instead crashed into the ground when a blur of white jumped it, huge jaws clamping shut on the fox's jugular and forcing the Noise to the ground. The Noise squealed in pain, and then silenced as the blur of white snapped its head sideways and crushed its windpipe. And as the Noise sizzled out of existence, Joshua had a few moments to study the 'white blur' that had just prevented him from being ripped to shreds.

Standing in front of him was a snow-white hound, possibly a Doberman, judging from its pointed ears, with tribal-styled front limbs, with wing-like marking following the curvature of its shoulders. The canine snarled at the Pandemonium as it dug its claws into the ground, briefly making the Noise pause, before it lunged again, this time for the white Noise. And Joshua whistled as the newcomer managed to rip through the Pandemonium quite rapidly, though it could not prevent itself from getting hurt, given the amount of Noise rushing it.

'Well now… this is interesting… now who would…?'

"…_urgh… so noisy…_"

When Joshua heard those words, he almost laughed. 'Aaah, but of course.'

* * *

><p>Jin pushed his ear buds as deep into his ears as he could whilst leaning back against the side of Hachiko, but he winced as the noise only got worse and worse. "….nnnrrrgh! Shut <em>up!<em>" he shouted out as he blindly threw a punch to his side – a burst of Imagination following the trajectory of his punch and shaping itself into a wolf's head, opening its jaws wide—

* * *

><p>—and then bit down on the bear Noise's arm as it tried to strike Josh, smashing its jaws together and ripping the limb off before it snapped out and chomped its head off before the Noise had time to move away.<p>

As the wolf head disappeared though, several other white hounds rushed to their ally's side and began to cut through the ranks of Noise.

And Joshua merely watched, a small, amused smirk playing on his face. 'Well… I most definitely can see now why Neku believes he'd make a good Conductor… if he has such control in the RG… what potential could he unlock in the UG? Hihi… _this_ will be interesting.'

"Found you!" a familiar voice called out, and when Joshua looked up, it was in time to see Hachi drop down on top of Hachiko. The double was wearing a deep blue kimono with a Kitsune-mask on his face, a pair of fox-ears poking out from his hair and a tail swaying behind him as he hopped down. "Thank the goddess… we have to get you out of here! It is too dangerous here!"

"Won't hear me complaining," the Composer said calmly, taking Hachi's band as it was held out to him. "It's too noisy in here, anyway."

Hachi nodded once and lowered his head slightly in concentration, and then it was almost as though he was tugged upward by the back of his neck before he was set back down on his feet.

Shibuya's Music immediately assaulted him from all directions and Joshua sighed in relief. As he soaked up the Music, he wobbled just slightly, but Neku was already there to catch him.

"Shit! You alright, Josh?" the fox asked with a hint of worry.

"I'm fine, dear…" Joshua slurred out, holding his head. "But you _may_ want to do something about that brother of yours… this is getting out of hand."

"I'm well aware of that!" Neku hissed as he propped Joshua up against Hachiko. Turning around, the redhead snarled, before he screamed: "KAMUI! ENOUGH OF THIS! SHOW UP!"

Silence followed, but then Joshua felt Kamui's presence – appearing out of nowhere, just like last time – and he looked up to watch the other Kyuubi. One look at Neku determined that the fox was pissed, and Kamui wasn't looking too happy, either.

Meaning that this could only end in disaster…

* * *

><p>"What the <em>hell<em> is wrong with you?!" Neku screamed out. "You almost destroyed all of Shibuya with that stunt!"

"…Yes, and?" the bluish-purple haired fox asked almost lazily.

Neku almost, _almost_, dropped his jaw in surprise at the response, but instead his glare only deepened. "'And'?! That's all you have to say?! Just _'and'_?!

Kamui remained impassive, despite that his own expression was set in a deep frown, and he remained smoking his pipe. "What difference does it make? This ward is doomed to collapse, anyway."

"That's not for you to decide!" Neku roared out. "That's _my_ job! Your job is to eliminate Composers who _refuse _to change and _choose_ to become corrupt! If Shibuya was truly unsalvageable, I would've _told_ you!"

"Then why are _you_ still here?!" demanded Kamui, pointing to the redhead with his pipe. "Your mission is finished! Has been for years! Why do you persist in remaining in a city that _you_ claim is no longer corrupt?!"

"Because if I leave right now, Shibuya would fall apart!" the younger of the two bellowed. "My mission also includes ensuring that the ward will not fall into relapse the moment I disappear! You _know_ that!"

"Then _why_ haven't you fixed it yet?! _Why_ do you insist on staying here if you can fix it in—"

"_Stop right there!_" Neku said immediately, raising his hand with a furious snarl. "Don't you _**dare**_ finish that sentence, Kamui! You know… _you know damn well that some things DON'T heal that fast! _Some things _never_ do! And even when it's almost gone, it'll itch and itch and itch until you scratch it wide open and draw blood! Then it'll heal again, and it'll itch again, and _again_, you'll scratch at it and rip the skin open again!" The redhead was beyond furious… he was positively _livid_; his tails bristled and swayed, and one of them smashed into the ground with a loud slam, and almost cracked the streets as his power was starting to creep out and was almost noticeable. "Don't act like you _understand_, Kamui, because you _don't!_ You don't know what it means to be haunted like that! You don't know and you can't understand! So stop acting like you do!"

Silence.

Kamui had nothing in response. His arm, having been aimed almost threateningly at Neku had dropped to his side, and his gaze almost appeared to have softened somewhat. He was still frowning, but certainly not as darkly as before.

* * *

><p>Joshua remained silent throughout the entire exchange, recalling Neku's words from the first time when Kamui had appeared and he how he had to stay silent and shouldn't move from his spot. This was a fight between Kyuubi, and this wasn't something he wanted to interfere in.<p>

But the words Neku uttered made Joshua tense briefly, because he had the distinct feeling Neku wasn't talking about Shibuya anymore. After what he had seen of Neku's past, he couldn't even begin to understand how Neku must've felt. Joshua had only felt rage toward the Kitsune's attacker, but the fox, so small still back then, must have been terrified. How he had managed to withstand such torture… Joshua didn't know, he admitted to that, but it was a fact that the Composer greatly respected of the redhead, even if he'd never say so to the daiyoukai's face.

To come out on top of his own fears as he had, managing to move on with your life the way he had… it was, in one word, admirable.

"…oy… Stalker!"

The sudden call made the Kyuubi, double and Composer jump before they turned their attention to Jin, who, they just realized, had never actually left.

"…excuse me?" Kamui demanded with a small snarl.

"…yanno… if I were you… I'd run…" Jin murmured, but as he finished those words, his face twisted into an evil smirk and his eyes glinted dangerously from under the brim of his cap. "I don't think the owner of those will-o-wisps will be happy to see you here, after all…"

The second he finished that, both Kamui and Neku froze and their expression shifted from anger and confusion to sheer terror, much to the surprise of Joshua.

"W-wi-will-o-wisps…?" Kamui managed to choke out.

"Yep. So you should… …oops. Too late…" If anything, Jin's grin only turned more evil as he almost sing-songed: "_He's_ _heeeeeere_."

Kamui paled in horror and was about to turn and bolt, but…

"_**KAAAMUUUIIII!**_"

The Kyuubi in question screamed in terror as he was suddenly smashed into the ground when someone leapt at him and—painfully—locked their legs around his throat, blocking his air off almost entirely as nine massive silver tails flailed around the figure. Furious forest green eyes, pupils slitted to the point where they were barely visible, glared down upon the downed fox, the glare on the silver-haired daiyoukai's face even more threatening than either Kamui's or Neku's, and a pair of powerful claws kept the other where he was.

Joshua blinked once, a bit surprised at the appearance of a _third_ Kyuubi – when the redheaded one suddenly bolted and actually _cowered_ behind him, tails coiling up around them both and his ears pressing back against his head as his entire frame shook.

Kamui whimpered as his own ears pressed down slowly, shaking even worse than Neku was. "R-R-R-Ruka-niisama…"

"_DON'T YOU 'RUKA-NIISAMA' ME, YOU DAMN PUP!_" the furious Kyuubi hollered out. "_HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO NOT INTERFERE WITH OTHERS' MISSIONS?! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO NEVER RUN OFF WITHOUT EXPLICITLY TELLING ME __EXACTLY__ WHERE YOU'RE GOING?!_"

Joshua winced at the volume of the shouts, and he was starting to get an idea why the pair of foxes was so scared right then; he wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of _that_ either…

"Ru-Ruka-niisama…! I-I can explain! R-really!"

"_DID I ASK FOR AN EXPLANATION?!_"

"…! N-n-no, R-Ruka-n-niisama…"

"Fuckin' _**BRAT!**_" the fox snarled out furiously. "And _here_ I went thinking you were _actually_ learning! Guess I'll just have to drill it in _even harder!_"

At those words, Kamui paled to the point where he looked like a ghost. "W-w-w-wait R-Ruka-niisama! I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry I'll never do it again I swear! Please just don't—"

However, the silver-furred fox's eyes narrowed dangerously and he hissed icily as his muscles bunched together: "Too late."

And then Kamui screamed…

* * *

><p><em>(*) Reference to a Hidden Object game I've played that's based on "The Black Cat" by E.A. Poe.<em>

_(**) Yes, I've recently seen "Brave", so?_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, that's one obstacle removed…**

**Actually… I've been thinking on something; what if Sakuraba Neku had _not_ been stillborn? What then? Since the Kyuubi would've been unable to be in the Game and get close enough to Joshua for it. Hmm… Anyone interested enough to find out at some point?**

.

**Name:** Roku "?"

**Number:** Six

**Actual eye-color:** Garnet (dark red) with orange-red eye-shadow

**Source:** Daisukenojo "Beat" Biito

**Info:** Roku is an absolute powerhouse and he's not afraid to display it as he easily crushes Noise wherever it's needed. He doesn't much care if he's only summoned when the Kyuubi requires him to deal with a batch of Noise and instead tackles it head-on with a shout, much like his source would.


	13. Stage 13 The Explanations

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Part 13 - The Explanations<strong>_

"…ouch," Jin mumbled softly, almost uncaring, as the silver-haired man stood and snagged the other Kyuubi from the ground and threw his unconscious form over his shoulder. "That had to hurt…"

He was shorter than Kamui, but taller than Neku, his tails were sleek, but longer, same for his ears. He was dressed in a long, white kimono and hakama, and his eyes were shrouded by light bluish-silver eye shadow, while two lines followed the curve of his cheeks, each, a single blue line painted across his upper lip, and a circle was painted across his forehead, similar circles placed on the back of his hands. He didn't look even half as impressive as Kamui had, muscle wise, and he didn't carry weapons on him, but the fact that the blue-haired fox was scared stiff of him had Joshua wondering if it was wise to be around him.

"…KURASA!"

"EEP!" Neku yelped out when the name was shouted, ducking back behind Joshua even further than he already was.

"Get over here. _**NOW!**_"

The redhead whined—_actually_ _whined_—but he did as he was told and almost crawled out from behind Joshua before he stood and began to walk to the other Kyuubi, ears and tails held down submissively. Joshua didn't blame the redhead in the least; he'd probably do the same after what he had just witnessed.

Ruka was _not_ looking happy in the slightest, one fist on his hip and tapping his foot impatiently as the redhead approached. Once he was in range, Ruka reached out and yanked on the redhead's elongated ear, making the younger Kyuubi howl.

"Just _when_ were you going to tell me that Kamui was running amok in here!?"

"I-I was just…"

"No excuses! I told you a _dozen_ times; if this _stupid lug_ starts messing with your missions, _let me know immediately!_"

"I-I know, b-but… y-you're always so busy at the shrine that I-I-I didn't want to bother you!"

Joshua blinked when Neku mentioned a 'shrine', but he decided to put off on asking about it until the other Kyuubi had calmed down enough to let the redhead's ear go. And Ruka did not seem inclined to do so.

"And what were you going to do if this idiot had erased Shibuya from Tokyo's wards, huh?! What then?!"

"Okay okay! I'm sorry I'm sorry! _Itetetete!_ Niisama, that _hurts!_"

Joshua winced as Ruka almost seemed ready to twist Neku's ear clean off, as the smaller Kyuubi's tails flailed about in obvious pain.

"Serves you right! So what are you gonna do if he ever shows up again?!"

"I'll let you know right away I swear! _Owowowow!_ Niisamaaaaa!"

Ruka frowned darkly for a few moments, but finally let go…

"_Baka!_"

…only to deliver a karate chop to the other Kitsune's head, making the redhead yelp ("_Aita!_") and cover his head with a whine.

"Don't _ever_ go thinking you can handle this guy on your own again! Got it?!"

"I get it I get it! _Sheesh!_"

Ruka continued to glare for a few more moments… but after a few more seconds, he cracked and he sighed, his expression going from angry to exasperated as he shook his head. He then placed on hand on Neku's head, moved some of his hair aside and then lightly kissed the smaller boy to his temple. "Whatever am I going to do with you two if you keep making me worry so much, Kurasa?" he grumbled softly as he ruffled the redhead's hair. "What if one of you gets the other hurt, huh? Then what do you want me to do?"

"…sorry…"

Ruka sighed again and lightly knocked his forehead to Neku's. "It's alright… just try to be a little more careful with each other, okay?"

"He started it…" Neku grumbled, which earned him a light swat to the side of his head. "Gah! Okay, okay! I'll be careful…"

"Good boy," Ruka chirped with a small smile, before he sobered and looked to the side and upward to the heavens. "…I should be off, and you should, too… that Angel is coming…"

Neku sighed, but he nodded regardless. "Alright. You be careful, too, Niisama."

Ruka merely smiled, before he turned and walked away, disappearing within the crowds of Shibuya. Neku watched him go for a moment, before he let out a sigh, as his visage returned to "normal" and he tuned himself back down to the RG.

Joshua watched as the redhead ran a hand through his hair for a moment, before he ran off in the direction of home, though not before sending a knowing look to the Composer. The silverette sighed a bit exasperatedly, looking back to Jin, who remained standing where he was, but he seemed to be content with ignoring Joshua now that the "action" had passed. That didn't last long, however, and soon enough, he pushed off from Hachiko and walked away, never looking back, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Oy, Josh."

Joshua blinked a little, before he recognized the voice and turned to the source with a smile. "Hello, Sanae," he said cheekily with a small wave. "What brings you here?"

Hanekoma looked like he was about to say something important, or at least something serious, but in the end, he decided not to and merely smiled as he shrugged with one hand in his pocket. "Ah, just thought we had a fox slipping into Shibuya again. You been here long?"

"A while now," Joshua said with a small chuckle. "Can't say I've seen any foxes running around here, though. Maybe it was all in your head."

It wasn't a question really, and Hanekoma knew that, so the barista merely chuckled as he rubbed his neck. "Heh… maybe."

Whyever Joshua wasn't telling Sanae about the three Kitsune that had just fled the scene, he wasn't sure, but he supposed it didn't matter, really…

As long as the middle sibling was out of his hair.

* * *

><p>As Neku came home, his phone rang the second he closed the door. The timing was too perfect, meaning it could only be…<p>

Bringing the object to his ear after opening it, he demanded: "How'd you get this number, Niisama?"

"_Wouldn't you like to know,_" Ruka's voice chuckled out. "_Hey, listen Kurasa, I forgot to ask you; can I borrow some of your supplies? I'm actually running low and I don't have the time or leisure to pick new stuff up._"

Neku winced sharply. "I don't even wanna know what you've got planned, but fine… send me a text with what you need and I'll send Yon and Nana your way."

"_Great. Thank you very much. I'll get it back to you with interest once I'm done._"

"You don't have to really…"

"_Trust me, you'll be glad I did afterwards._"

"Just send me the text already!"

"_Heheh. Will do. Love you._"

"Love you, too, Niisama."

And with that, Neku hung up the phone and let out a huge sigh. 'Damn… Kamui's in _soooo_ much trouble now…'

_Beep beep!_

"Ah, there we go," he mumbled, flipping the phone open again and reading the new message. "…I… _really_ don't want to know… ugh. Yon. Nana."

As Neku finished those words, two girls appeared behind him from the shadows, both of them wearing traditional kimono's, their faces covered by Kitsune masks. Nana looked exactly the same as she had the first time she appeared, and Yon had long, curly red hair that hung down her back.

"Yes Master~?" the pair chirped happily.

"I need you two to give me a hand with delivering some stuff to Niisama, can you do that?"

"Sure thing, Master!" Yon said enthusiastically. "Just leave it all to us!"

"Yes, please, Master, it's no problem at all," said Nana as she held onto her stuffed kitten.

"Right. C'mon, let's go get what he wants…"

* * *

><p>When Joshua woke up slowly, he groaned as he sat up straight, cricking his neck, before realizing he was in the Room of Reckoning for the first time in what felt like weeks (which, in all honesty, it had been). It took him a while to remember why, though.<p>

After the three Kyuubi had left, Hanekoma had told him it was about time for a new Game, which was to start in three days (now two), and he had decided to start planning ahead. He had been working until well past midnight before he had apparently dozed off.

"Mmmm~… whew… Goodness… that's going to sting later…" Joshua murmured as he rubbed his neck. "Hmm… well, I have some time to spare, so I may as well look around the city a bit."

With that in mind (and little else to do, really), Joshua stood from his throne and teleported away (because he was feeling rather lazy right then) into the streets of Shibuya. And instantly, he was greeted by the sound and sight of Shibuya's ever busy streets and he allowed a small smile. As he looked around, he couldn't even begin to imagine why he had ever wanted to erase this ward altogether, and, while many would say the Game with his Conductor had been a fatal error on his part, perhaps it had been all for the best.

As he walked the streets of Shibuya, sometimes listening to the Music of others when he saw a particularly bright Soul, he wondered to himself… Despite being a Composer, he knew there was a lot he didn't know of yet, and one of them involved the Kyuubi that had somehow wormed his way into the silverette's (after)life.

It was true that Neku (or Kurasa, as his name actually was as a Kyuubi) was a powerful youkai, and definitely something to be feared by most, and yet he had a pair of older siblings who were much stronger than he was, of which one of them seemed to scare him a lot. Hell, he hadn't even dared to use the silver-haired Kyuubi's name and only addressed him as 'Niisama', which in itself showed just how much respect/reference the younger had for him. Joshua didn't blame Neku for that; that guy, Ruka, was not someone Joshua wished to piss off in the slightest, and he was also glad that it wasn't Ruka who had been assigned to ensure Shibuya wasn't corrupt.

_That _would've been a disaster…

"…_haaaaah…_"

Joshua blinked when he heard the familiar sound and turned his head, searching, before he noticed the small blue will-o-wisp. The small wisp remained hovering where it was, and then it waved its small limb in a "come over" gesture that made Joshua chuckle.

"Really now?" he murmured, twirling a strand of hair around his finger. "Hihih. Well, who am I to refuse an invitation, really? I have nothing better to do, anyway."

With that in mind, he walked to the wisp, which disappeared when he came close, but a string of wisps appeared in its place, showing him where he had to go. The Composer didn't even question it; he just walked, hands in his pockets and completely missing a certain redhead heading the very way he had just come from…

* * *

><p>Neku stretched his arms over his head with a long yawn as he walked, before he rubbed the back of his neck. "Ugh… damn… last night was a major disaster… the hell was Niisama doing here anyway? On that note… <em>how long<em> has he been here?" He didn't know the answers to those questions, and he was aware that he wouldn't be able to obtain the answers so easily, but it'd be nice if he could…

"…Oh well. Let's see now… where was that spot we agreed to meet…? Ah, right."

With a firm nod, Neku turned right, crossed the street and continued along his path until he reached the place. As expected, _he_ was already there.

"Akataiyo."

The brunette in question looked up from where he was soundlessly leaning against the wall.

"…Sakuraba."

The redhead merely nodded in response, and the pair stood in silence for a few long moments, before Neku finally spoke.

"So… how much do you know, and how much do you _want_ to know?"

* * *

><p>"…Hold on a moment… where did I end up <em>now<em>?" Joshua murmured thoughtfully as he looked around.

Somehow, he had left the paved path of Shibuya's streets and found himself on a small path littered with pebbles, small stationary lights placed upon the side of the road that were currently unlit due to the brightness of day, and ahead of him stood a large shrine Shinto Gate, and the wisps were going under it and up the massive stairs that awaited beyond it. The thin veils of mist around him made it difficult to determine where he was, but it looked like a forest of some kind, however, when he reached out, he could still hear and feel Shibuya's vibe, meaning he hadn't actually left his ward behind.

Slowly, whilst keeping careful note of Shibuya's Music, Joshua continued along the pathway and began to ascend the stairs, counting softly under his breath. There were a total of 10 steps, each about twice the height of normal ones, but it felt like they were barely there, oddly enough, and then he found himself standing before a small, modest-looking shrine, surrounded by rows upon rows of sakura trees, the mist that had been around him not obscuring what was right before him.

And in the courtyard, humming and smiling softly to himself as he swept his broom across the stones to shoo away the fallen sakura petals, was a figure Joshua had only seen once but would be able to recognize anywhere, minus the ears and tails. Josh didn't get the chance to say anything, though.

"Good day, Composer," Ruka said almost casually without really looking up from what he was doing.

Though the sudden greeting made him jump a little, Joshua wasn't really surprised that the Kyuubi seemed to know who he was. And so, going along with the flow, Joshua smirked as he raised his hand in a small wave and quipped: "Good day to you as well… Ruka, was it not?"

"Yes, that is correct," said the taller man as he gave one last, firm sweep of his broom before he turned his gaze to Shibuya's Composer. "I suppose you are wondering where you are, hm?"

"Rather," Joshua admitted, placing one hand to his chin. "This place does not strike me as familiar, and I know all of Shibuya like I know the back of my hand. Most curious you've managed to whisk me away like that without me noticing."

Ruka allowed a small chuckle. "My apologies, however, there was something I required to discuss with you, and I fear it is about a matter that cannot wait."

"Hmm… fair enough, I suppose." Joshua was just glad that this Kyuubi did not appear to have any murderous intentions toward him, which was probably why he wasn't so bothered with the other's presence. "So, what is it you wished to talk about?"

"If you do not mind, I'd much rather prefer discussing this inside," Ruka admitted. "I was just about to set some tea, anyway. Would you care for some?"

"Hihi. Don't mind if I do."

* * *

><p>The inside of the shrine wasn't any less modest than the outside and appeared to only hold the basic necessities one would need. After taking off their shoes and geta (wooden sandals), Ruka led them into a traditional Japanese tea room and requested Joshua to take a seat while he worked on the tea. The table was small and low to the ground, traditionally Japanese, and the seats were mere pillows that were actually quite comfortable.<p>

After a moment of silence, though…

"Before we begin, I would like to sincerely apologize on behalf of my younger brothers for all the trouble they've caused," Ruka said, looking like he was fighting back the urge to sigh dramatically. "Those boys always seem to get in some sort of trouble whenever I take my eyes off of them for only a moment."

The statement startled Joshua quite a bit, but he made sure not to show it. "Ah, quite alright. Must be hard, having to deal with two younger siblings…"

"Rather," Ruka confirmed with a nod and a small sigh he couldn't hold back. "It's moments like these that I wonder if I've raised them wrong somewhere along the way…" He paused to pour some tea and then walked over to the table, casually placing the tray with the teacups and teapot on the table before he settled down on his knees opposite of Joshua, his hands resting on his lap. "They mean well, however… so I pray you can forgive their small fits of mischief."

'"Mischief" he says, heh…' Joshua thought absently, before he waved it off. "No worries. It's been rather… interesting," he said with a chuckle.

"I am glad to hear you say so," Ruka said with a warm smile as he bowed just slightly from his seated position. As he straightened up, however, his expression became serious. "In any case, what I wish to discuss with you about is your… well, friend, I suppose, if it's possible to call him such."

"Hm? Whoever do you mean?" Joshua asked as he picked up his cup and sipped. 'Ooh, nice blend.'

"I refer to the Borderwalker," Ruka said as he took his own cup, and Joshua paused mid-sip, the term being a highly familiar one, despite the fact he had only heard it once before. "The one you know as 'Akataiyo Jin'."

* * *

><p>"…<em>achoo!<em>" Jin sneezed suddenly.

"Bless you," Neku mumbled from where they sat on the edge on the 104 building.

"Whatever… so what's their motivation to keep running?"

Neku hummed in thought, lightly kicking one leg out. "When the Game begins, Players have to give up something precious of themselves. Actually, they give up what they cherish the most, and if they want it back, they need to win."

"…and if you lose?"

"You lose it, _and_ your right to exist."

"…joy of joys…" Jin snorted as he leaned forward on his knees. "…Does everyone who reaches the end win?"

"…No. Only the person with the most points gets to come back."

"…figures…"

"…You don't seem all that upset by that…"

"…does it matter? Once you're dead, it's over anyway, isn't it? Trying to prolong it… is just a waste of time…" Jin mumbled solemnly.

"…You really think that?" Neku asked, slightly surprised at the other male's attitude toward the world.

"Enjoy the moment," Jin spoke suddenly, and Neku stared. "That's what I intend to do until whatever gives me a solid kick off this coil I'm walking on or whatever…"

"…And yet here you are, asking questions about a Game that's all about getting a second chance," Neku pointed out. "You're really something else, aren't you?"

"…whatever…"

Neku merely smiled and shook his head. "…so, what else do you want to know?"

* * *

><p>"'Borderwalker'? Whatever do you mean by that?" Joshua asked, rather confused about the term.<p>

"Let me make one thing clear, though; I would appreciate it if you do not mention to Kurasa – oh, wait… he calls himself Neku, now, doesn't he?" Ruka murmured, placing one finger to his lips before he shook it off. "Well, in any case, do not tell him I told you about this. He is on strict orders to never speak of it to Composers."

"Oh? And you're not?" Joshua asked with a small smirk.

"No, I am not," Ruka confirmed, sipping his tea. "I give orders, I refuse to take them."

"Oooooh." Joshua had to suppress the urge to wince and he made a mental note to _never_ piss Ruka off, _ever_. "So anyway… I promise I won't tell him. So, what exactly does 'Borderwalker' entail?"

Ruka took another sip of tea before he saw fit to answer. "A Borderwalker is what we have come to call those who 'walk along the border of Music and Static'. You are aware of Music, but below Music, there lies what we call 'Static'."

"Hmhmm… and this Static does… what?"

"On its own, it's harmless. The most it would give people is a slight migraine from prolonged exposure, and some might never even notice the sound." Pause to sip his tea. "To Borderwalkers, on the other hand, it is both very loud and painful, and there have been cases where they end up killing themselves to rid themselves of the noise in their ears."

"Ouch." Joshua couldn't even begin to imagine what that was like. "Hmm… but Jin is still alive, is he not?"

"Yes, and that in itself is a rarity," Ruka said with a small nod. "In fact Borderwalkers are a rarity in and off themselves, as the rate of birth is only one in a million, but to see one make it past the age of 10… is even rarer."

"Wait… past the age of 10?! You're saying that those…?!" Joshua started, a slight edge of horror lining his voice.

"Yes. If a Borderwalker is born and he or she does have the strength of mind to suppress the Static, they will take their own life before they reach their 10th life year." Ruka's face was completely void of emotion as he said it, but it was clear it disturbed him as much as it did Joshua. "If a Borderwalker does make it past the age of 10, it's usually due to some traumatic experience in their past from what I've seen…"

"…Such as seeing your parents being murdered, I suppose."

"Yes."

"Tragic… and what's so… 'grand' about them?"

"Well, I assume you've already seen that Jin has much more Imagination than a normal human _should_ have. Especially given his age. Borderwalkers are always born with much more Imagination, than normal, and are exceptionally skilled in manipulating their Imagination, even in the RG. They can summon what we call 'White Noise', which is a type of Noise that preys on other Noise, because Noise, to Borderwalkers, are so noisy that it will physically hurt them. It is like a defense mechanism for them, I suppose you could say. There is also the fact that they can see into both sub realms; meaning the UG and LG."

"LG… Neku's mentioned that. What is it, though?"

"The Lower Grounds… is where the youkai live," Ruka said calmly. "It is a realm that rests just beside the UG, but it's difficult to view it these days. Long ago, it was much easier, but the higher ups placed barriers between the UG and LG, to keep the youkai from preying on the souls of the dead that played the Reapers' Game."

"…They did that quite a lot, I assume?" Joshua asked slowly.

"The Reapers used to have whole Games that were mostly based around murdering youkai," the Kyuubi sighed out. "People eventually decided it had to stop."

"I see. And Borderwalkers are the only ones who can see them?"

"No, children are also able to see them at times, though as they age, they lose their touch with it and it eventually fades away entirely. It's only on rare occasions that adults can still see them as well."

"Hmhmm… So why did you want to tell me about this?"

"Simple." Ruka finished his tea and set his cup down, before he looked up to Joshua seriously. "Because I wish to request of you to take this boy as your Conductor."

"…Beg your pardon?" He'd already been considering it, sure, but he certainly wasn't expecting to hear it from the Kyuubi.

"If a Borderwalker's soul is not refined or placed into the Game, the HG takes them… and, the last time they got their hands upon a Borderwalker… it was a disaster… He lost control of his own powers and accidentally unleashed it upon the shores Japan, causing a flood to overtake much of the land. Afterwards, he unleashed that very power on numerous high-ranked Angels, incinerating them, before aiming that power unto himself, erasing his very soul from existence." Ruka shook his head slowly. "The HG doesn't understand that merely bringing the soul to their side doesn't ensure that the Borderwalker will just lay down and listen to their orders. After all, young Borderwalkers would want to 'die and disappear', and older Borderwalkers have gone through a trauma that will never let them go. Forcing either of those to obey you…"

"I see where you're going… but why ask me to make him Conductor? Wouldn't you say he'd feel the same way about me?"

"…I know he may not seem it," Ruka admitted, "but Jin is a good child. He has merely… lost his touch with humanity."

"Hm? How do you mean?"

"Well, he's lost contact with them… the people around him barely seem to care, or even notice him… well, except for Neku and his friends, I suppose…" Ruka moved some of his bangs aside, thinking. "Hmm… ah. I suppose you could compare Jin to a dog, in a way. He's looking for attention, but he's also afraid of a rebuke. He doesn't look for people, but he doesn't reject their company, either. He wants to be closer, but doesn't know how. He wants to enjoy himself, but has only himself to keep him company. Do you understand?"

"Yes…" Joshua nodded slowly. Jin's words from his childhood were still very clear in his mind even after so long.

"…_what do you want? …leave me alone… …I want to stay here…"_

He wanted to be left alone… but he wanted to stay where he was at the same time, even though there were so many people around him at that time (none of them who had been able to see Joshua, of course). A mess of contradictions, just like Neku had pointed out. Solitude and company… he wanted them both, but he only knew how to get and keep the former.

"The higher ups don't understand what torment people like Jin go through… they believe that anything can be fixed with enough time, love and care… but not everything does…" Ruka said with a soft sigh. "I am not just saying it for his own sake, but also for the sake of all who live in Japan. The boy who caused the flood was only 15… and his power was nowhere near Jin's current potential, and he's keeping himself back already. Even I am not certain how much power he truly has… Thus, I fear for everyone's safety… not just for—"

"Alright."

"…? Excuse me?"

"I said; Alright, I'll take him as my Conductor when his time comes." Ruka blinked, twice, before he allowed a smile, but Joshua brought up a hand. "However, I _do_ expect him to prove his worth in the Game before I let him in."

"Naturally…" Ruka agreed with a small nod. "It is only wise to witness a person's strengths before employing them."

Joshua giggled before he finished his tea. "But of course."

Ruka looked like he was about to say something else, but just then, a bell rang somewhere above them, making the Kyuubi look up curiously. "Ah… seems I have to get to work," he murmured as he stood, bowing politely to Joshua as he did. "Please excuse me a moment."

Joshua merely nodded and watched Ruka return to the entrance of the shrine, getting back into his geta as he went before he stepped outside. This left the Composer to his own devices for the time being, and if anyone else was there, they'd say this was a _bad_ thing, but there wasn't, so Joshua merely stood up after setting down his cup, and began to walk around the shrine.

As he had expected, there wasn't really all that much to see, but after a while of walking, he came into a room that caught his interest; it was a room with a small fireplace built into the wall, and there were several frames placed along the fireplace's mantle and a few bigger ones hung along the wall. The pictures, from a distance, appeared to be photographic, but upon close inspection, it turned out they were all painted with a traditional Japanese brush, the colors filled in carefully so as not to disturb the black ink or paint, whatever it was that was used.

He walked to the mantle and carefully lifted one of the picture frames. The picture was made in the same way as all the others, but it was still incredibly detailed, though it seemed the painter had opted to leave out the mouths during the drawing, which Joshua couldn't blame him for. After all, painting eyes with the type of brush he must've used was hard enough, drawing mouths would be even harder.

The picture he held was one of what had to be Ruka, still in his human form, and he was holding a small, red-haired child on his lap, whom was curled up protectively against his stomach like a small kitten… or perhaps "fox cub" was the better term. They were sitting in the very room Joshua was in right now, and the light from the fireplace in the picture made it seem a little mysterious.

'Cute.'

Joshua smiled and set it back, walking a little further before he snorted on laughter at one of the other picture. The mass of bluish-purple hair told him that the man lying on the ground _had_ to be Kamui, and sitting on his back, peeking out from under the older man's mass of hair, was the same little kid from the last picture. What made it funny, however, was the small 'black cloud' over Kamui's head to indicate his displeasure, and the tilted question mark by the boy's head, as though the kid couldn't understand what he had just done wrong. To Joshua, it looked like a scene that could come right from an age-old manga.

The third picture appeared to be a group shot. The small boy, though he was a little bigger now, was sitting on Kamui's back and pointing ahead enthusiastically, and Kamui looked a little less than happy as he held the boy's hands and carried the boy over a collection of rocks in a river, while Ruka walked by beside them, watching them go. As he saw that picture, though, Joshua frowned in question. Kamui looked like he was about 14, judging from his size, and the boy was about 7… but Ruka was already an adult.

How much older than the other Kyuubi was he?

"Enjoying yourself?"

Joshua jumped and almost dropped the picture, but Ruka caught it before it could hit the ground. The fox chuckled.

"It's fine. I enjoy coming here once every while myself, as well." Ruka carefully placed the picture back amongst the others. "He doesn't look happy, does he?" he chuckled out suddenly.

"Hm? Kamui, you mean?" Joshua asked, before he, too, chuckled. "No, I would say he's _far_ from pleased."

"You should've seen him _after_ this," Ruka said with a smile. "We were one stone away from the edge… and he slipped up." He covered his mouth to stop his chuckles. "Kurasa landed on a stone and managed to stay dry… Kamui fell right into the water!"

Joshua couldn't help himself and he laughed, which was enough for Ruka to start laughing as well. "Hahahahah… goodness, he must've been soaked!"

"Drenched! He was completely drenched!" Ruka choked out amidst his laughter. "Hahahah… He-he looked like a drowned rat!"

It took them a few minutes to be able to calm themselves enough so that they'd only snicker when recalling the event.

Ruka didn't seem to mind telling Joshua a few things about the pictures he had set up, and Joshua had to admit, the Kyuubi was surprisingly fun to be around (as long as you didn't piss him off, of course). He could recall all the events that had transpired on the pictures, as though it was only the day before, and he seemed to enjoy recalling those fond memories very much.

"Hm? What's with this picture?" Joshua asked as he picked the picture in question up.

"Which one…? Oh this one," Ruka murmured thoughtfully, watching the picture of him holding a young Kurasa above a crib, and the small boy was staring into the crib in awe. "This… was the first time I showed Kurasa one of my… hmm… well, one of my 'children', I suppose you could say."

"…Your… children?" Joshua questioned, staring at Ruka a bit strangely.

The Kyuubi let out a sigh, his eyes getting a faraway look to them, as he ran a finger along the glass pane. "You recall I said I do not listen to orders, correct?" Ruka continued once Joshua nodded. "There is… one job I was willing to take upon me. One that my grandmother assigned to me; to try and prevent a woman from not becoming a mother."

Josh stared at Ruka for a moment, before he murmured: "You mean to prevent stillbirth?"

"Yes. However, when a soul has gone, especially from one so young, they cannot be retrieved, as the Heavens immediately confiscate the soul and send it to be reincarnated immediately. And they forget about the mother who has just lost her baby…" Ruka stared at the picture wordlessly for a while, before he set it back. "My special ability… is to breathe life back into those children, by granting them a small part of my life-force." Ruka briefly shook his head, before he continued. "For the duration of their life, they carry a part of my life inside them, and once they die, it is returned to me. They cannot live indefinitely like we Kitsune can… but at least they are able to live… and their mothers will not have to go through the torment of losing their child."

"…" Joshua remained silent as he looked upon the picture. The facial expressions were basic, but even then, it wasn't hard for him to imagine the look on the small boy's face as he stared down upon that little baby, fast asleep in the crib. "…is that when he decided he wanted children as well?"

"Ah, he's told you about that?" Ruka murmured, before he smiled. "But yes, it was then that he said he wanted children for the first time… We told him he was still too young for that, which he didn't take too well." Ruka shut his eyes as he remembered something. "It's strange how fast time goes sometimes… before you know it… kids are all grown up and moving away from you…"

Joshua watched Ruka for a moment, but the fox waited a long time before he opened his eyes and pulled out another picture. "Here," he said, handing it to Joshua. "This, was just after Kurasa received his last tail."

Joshua wasn't sure what he was expecting, but he took the frame anyway and looked down upon it.

Once again, it was a group shot of all three Kyuubi; Kamui was facing away the side, looking pretty much the same as Joshua remembered him, and Ruka, too, wasn't much different from what he looked like now.

Kurasa, however…

Black kimono with silver lining, he remembered that, but his hair is long and dark red, its tips white and secured in ponytails (or should that be "fox tails"?), one of them for his bangs that hung past his right eye, two that rested upon his shoulders, and if Joshua had to guess, the rest of his hair that hung on his back divided into six.

'…wait…'

How did he know the hair on his back was divided into six if it's not visible in the picture?

A sharp pain suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks and he groaned, grabbing his head as he swayed on his feet. He barely heard Ruka asking if he was feeling alright (which is a definite NO, obviously) before his vision began to fail him, and he didn't even feel his legs giving out as all that runs through his head is a quiet, but kind voice…

He knew that voice… he knew he did… but… who was it?

Whose voice… was that?

* * *

><p><strong>Gee, I wonder…<strong>

**Anyway, Doll update!**

* * *

><p><strong>Name:<strong> Yon "?"

**Number:** Four

**Actual eye-color:** Unknown as of yet

**Source: **Eri

**Info:** Yon has only appeared once, but she appears to be a hyper bundle of energy, much like Eri herself is. She appears to do small jobs such as deliveries for her Master from time to time, and other than that, nothing else is known of her.

.

**-UPDATE!-**

**Name:** Nana "?"

**Number:** Seven

**Actual eye-color:** Unknown as of yet

**Source:** Misaki Shiki

**Info:** Nana appears to also help the Kyuubi with small chores besides dealing with any potential threats. While not as hyper as Yon, she enjoys making herself useful.

* * *

><p><strong>And now… a little something extra!<strong>

.

_**KYUUBI**_

**Name:** Sakuraba Neku (Kurasa)

**Age:** 20~21 (3000+)

**Height:** 6'0"

**Hair:** Dark red (Red with white ends)

**Eyes and eyeshadow:** Dark blue and black (ice-blue and black)

**Weapon(s):** Nine-pronged sword

**Job:** To prevent cities/wards from becoming corrupt by confronting the Composer and forcing them to take action.

**Special skills/abilities:** Doll-creation, time/world travel (?), hearing the Song of Composers

**Info:** The Kyuubi who inhabits the body of Sakuraba Neku is originally known as 'Kurasa' and is a little bit of a sadist when it comes to his 'punishments', but he never takes it too far to cause permanent damage (both mental and physical). Because he accidentally sealed his memories 20 years ago when he entered Neku's body, he actually forgot his mission until he was able to recover them, and just in time to exact his promised punishment from the Composer of Shibuya. However, it seems that those twenty years of living as a human have changed him…

.

**Name:** Kamui

**Age:** 3300+

**Height:** 6'5"

**Hair:** Bluish-purple

**Eyes and eyeshadow:** Ice blue and deep blue

**Weapon(s):** Masamune katana's

**Job:** To erase corrupt Composers who have no chance/desire to prevent/stop the corruption of their corresponding city/ward.

**Special skills:** Summoning Pandemonium Noise

**Info:** Kamui is a cold, brooding Kyuubi who seems to view the world as one giant fox trap and he's not afraid to show his hatred of the world around him. He pays no attention to the well-being of others if they are not youkai (unless he's scolded for it by Ruka), and he prefers to keep to himself, however, he seems to be very (over)protective of Kurasa and this makes him act rather rashly that more often than not gets him into a heap of trouble.

.

**Name:** Ruka

**Age:** Unknown

**Height:** 6'3"

**Hair:** Silver

**Eyes and eyeshadow:** Forest green and light bluish-silver

**Weapon(s):** Unknown

**Job:** To guide people to their fates and to return lost children to their homes; to prevent stillbirth where he can.

**Special skills:** Summoning will-o-wisps, impregnating humans

**Info:** As the eldest of the three Kyuubi, Ruka often keeps himself quite calm and composed, unless his little "brothers" get themselves into trouble in some way. He's a bit of a sadist, but he loves both his brothers very much and he'd never hurt them if there was another way around it. He refuses to take orders, stating that he _is_ the one _giving_ the orders, and given his slight sadistic nature, it'd probably be in your best interest to do whatever he orders you to do.


	14. Stage 14 The Memories

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 14 - The Memories<strong>_

_It was cold… it was really cold, but that was okay. Cold meant snow, and little Joshua **loves** the snow!_

_He was running around in the yard, laughing and screaming as he danced in the snow, his little kimono flying open and he didn't care at all! He could hear his parents calling him to come over so they could fix it again, but he didn't care and he just kept playing and laughing. He made snowballs, too, and when his father came over anyway to fix his kimono, he got a face full of snow and a loud laugh from Joshua as the boy ran off again._

_His parents would scold him later, but Joshua was having so much fun he couldn't care!_

_However, little Joshua only had so much stamina, so eventually he collapsed in the snow, laughing._

_His parents took him back inside then, but he was still giggling, his cheeks red from running around so much. He let his parents tuck him in and he fell asleep almost immediately, still giggling and telling himself he'd go play in the snow the next day, too._

_It was the middle of the night, though, that Joshua woke up when he heard something… something from the gardens. It sounded like…_

…_singing…?_

_Slowly, he got up to his knees, and crawled over to the window, peeking outside through the sliding door before he crawled outside so he could look through the railing._

_He saw **him** then for the first time…_

_A man, tall and strong, his dark kimono standing out against the snow, long red hair with white ends that was secured in nine tails, one securing his bangs, two resting on his shoulders and the others hanging down his back, resting in the snow on his knees, collecting snow and singing softly to himself, a song with lyrics unknown to man._

_Little Joshua remained, watching, head tilted and curious of this stranger sitting in their yard, but he remained silent and watched._

_But then the man seemed to notice he was no longer alone, and he fell silent and turned his head, glancing his way curiously, eyes the color of ice watching him. They stared at each other for a few moments, both equally curious., and then the man smiled. Little Joshua was a little shy, so he ducked down just a little, but then he was able to crack a small smile back._

_The man's smile was nice, he decided, so this man must be nice, too…_

_Just then, a voice called out, and the man looked away from Joshua, off to the side, and then he sighed and stood up. He turned to face Joshua one last time, smiling warmly once more, before he turned and walked away._

"…_bye-bye!" he called out, waving happily, making the man look up in surprise._

_However, he finally smiled and raised a hand in a wave as he walked away. Joshua giggled and hurried back inside, huddling back under his covers after closing the window and he smiled, wondering if the man would want to be his friend…_

_Little Joshua didn't see the man again the next day, or the next evening, or the day and evening after that, and he wondered where the man went… He didn't tell his mother and father about it just yet; he wanted to make a friend alone first before telling them to show he **did** know how to make friends._

_They went shopping today, and little Joshua hoped he will come again, today, because he wanted to see him again._

_But…_

…_but…_

* * *

><p><em>Joshua crawled back, afraid and shaking, unable to look away from the… the… <strong>monster <strong>that stepped on his parents…_

_It was cold, but the liquid that almost covered him from head to toe was almost boiling hot…_

_His father's words, telling him to run, echoed through his head, but his legs wouldn't move…_

_The monster screamed and was about to snap its jaws at him, but something struck it from the side and made it recoil, just as a firm hand grasped his wrist and pulled him up. And then a voice shouted: "Don't just stand there! Run! Do you want to die?!"_

_And then he was pulled and blindly, without even looking, Joshua did just that, his little legs moving quickly to keep up with the much bigger man's steps. Normally, he'd never be able to run so much, but his mind was ordering him to run and so he did. He ran and ran for as long as he could, which was until the entire situation sank in and he started to cry, which was when he was picked up and the man carried him._

_It was a long time later when the man finally stopped running, and when he did, snow was falling…_

_He crouched down, keeping Joshua close to him and he softly shushed the small boy. "Hush, hush now… it's okay… it's alright now…"_

_Joshua sniffled and hiccupped, trying to stop his wave of endless tears, but failing miserably. "B-b-but… M-my mother and… father… they… they're still…!"_

"_Ssshh…" the man murmured softly, running a hand through the boy's hair. "I know it's harsh… but you can't help them anymore…"_

"_N…no… " Joshua wriggled in the man's grip, trying to get away, but the man just wouldn't let him go. "…please… let me go…!"_

"_Sshh… it's okay… I'm here… everything will be okay…" he murmured, his grip on the small boy light but firm, not allowing him to go anywhere._

"…_lies… you're lying… it… it's never… going to be…"_

"…_What's your name?"_

_Joshua blinked, confused at the sudden question, but he sniffled and answered anyway. "…K-K-Kiryuu… Yoshi…ya… but… M-Mother and… Father call me… Joshua…"_

"_Joshua…" the man repeated, as though tasting the name on his tongue, before he continued in a gentle tone of voice with; "listen to me… your parents told you to run… because they wanted you to stay alive… you still have your whole life ahead of you…"_

"_B…but…"_

"_Ssh… Just listen to me…" the man shushed him, placing a finger over his lips. "I know this world seems cold… and uncaring… but we're all struggling in our own way. We all have things in our past we want to forget… but it's those things that shape us into who we are. You're still alive because your parents wanted you to live. Not just for you… but for them, as well. If you die, their legacy will vanish from this world completely and then no one will remember them. Is that what you want?"_

"…_! N-no! Ne-never…!" Joshua exclaimed immediately._

"_Then you have to live. Do you understand?" he asked, taking Joshua's shoulders and looking him in the eye. "Live. Not just for yourself, but also your parents. Stay alive… and live."_

_Joshua blinked, slowly, confused, before he nodded slowly, and the man smiled down at him._

"_Good boy," he murmured, reaching up and wiping the tears away. "Now come on, enough with the tears, now…"_

_Joshua sniffled, wiping at his eyes again, and this time only a few new ones came after._

"_There we go…" the man said softly, a small smile still playing on his face, while he used the sleeve of his kimono to wipe the remainder of the boy's tears away. "You know… I lost my parents, too…" he said suddenly, making Joshua look up curiously, staring into the man's icy blue eyes that seemed… really sad just then. "I think… I was about… no, I was younger than you are…" the man admitted, moving some of Joshua's bangs out of his eyes. "But they told me to run, told me to live, because to them, I was more important than their own life, and they wished I see that this world isn't all darkness and horrible experiences." He paused briefly and moved down to plant a soft, tender kiss upon Joshua's forehead. "See? You aren't the only person alone…"_

_Joshua considered those words, and allowed the man to hold him close. He thought about it for a few moments, before he asked, slowly: "Were they nice?"_

"…_My parents? …Yes, yes they were…" the man said, a small smile on his face. "My father would always say I looked like mother… oddly enough. They were, well, different from normal people, I suppose… but I… really did love them…" he murmured, thoughtfully as he ran a hand through Joshua's hair. "…and I still miss them… even though it's been so long…"_

"…_does it ever go 'way?" Joshua asked slowly._

"…_no… it never really goes away. Not really." The man seemed a little sad, but at the same time… "But, in a way, that's a good thing."_

"…_huh?"_

"_If it never goes away…" the man explained, wiping one stray tear away from the boy's eye, "you can't forget. As long as you don't forget, it'll be like they're always with you." He smiled softly and finished with: "As long as you keep their memory close in your heart, they'll always be with you."_

"…_really?"_

"_Hmhmm." The man smiled warmly, still, but Joshua could see that his eyes were actually very sad. And Joshua blinked when a single tear actually formed in the man's eye, though it didn't roll down. Still, Joshua sat up a little and used a clean corner of his own sleeve to move the tear away. This made him blink, almost curiously, before he chuckled softly and ruffled the boy's hair._

"_Well, anyway… let's get you out of here and washed up, ne?"_

_Joshua nodded as the man stood and he scampered to his own little feet, and grabbed the man by two fingers, because Joshua's hand wasn't big enough to hold the man's whole hand as he toddled after him._

"…_ne, Niichan?" he called out softly, tugging. "What's your name?"_

_The man looked down to him for a moment, a curious glint in his eyes, before he smiled warmly._

"_It's Kurasa. But you can call me Kura-niichan if you want."_

* * *

><p>Joshua's eyes snapped open wide in alarm, the dream – no… that was <em>definitely<em> a memory – fading from his vision but the words spoken remained etched into his mind, once long forgotten over time and now having drifted back after so long…

"…it was him…" Joshua breathed, staring up to the ceiling. "…he… he was the one who… he…"

Once the shock of the revelation had passed, the Composer realized he was laying on a futon, in one of the rooms of Ruka's shrine. One look around confirmed that last part. Slowly, he sat up and looked around, but the Kyuubi in question was nowhere in sight.

'…did I pass out or something…?'

Sighing heavily, Joshua rose to his feet carefully, still a bit disoriented, and glanced around, before he spotted a sliding door. It was simple, but it was impossible to look through, possibly because it was a bedroom door, but whatever the case, Joshua didn't much care and began to slide it open –

"—why did you tell Jin to ask me about the Reapers' Game, Niisama?"

And froze when he heard the familiar voice through the crack of the door. There was no way he could mistake that voice for someone else's…

"Whatever makes you think I told him to do so?"

"He already told me, Niisama…"

'Neku…'

Ruka chuckled, and there was the sound of a liquid being poured – tea, probably – before he replied. "He did, hm? Oh well. I suppose I can't deny it, then."

"Niisama, seriously, why?"

"I have my reasons, Kurasa."

"Neku."

"Right, right, my apologies."

Neku sighed heavily, and Joshua slowly sat down, moving to the crack in the door and peeking out. He wasn't sure _why_ he was spying on the pair of foxes. Maybe it had to do with his recent trip down memory lane, or maybe it was the idea of getting one up on the redheaded fox, but… was it really…?

"Anyway, you've done an admirable job once again, Neku," Ruka spoke after a moment, and Joshua could just see the older Kyuubi sip his tea. "Though… I must ask, why haven't you returned home, yet?"

"Nrgh… Don't you start on me, too, Niisama…" Neku grumbled, and Joshua carefully slid the door a little further open to be able to see the redhead, as well. Neither of the two seemed to notice him, and Neku merely sipped his own cup. "I told Kamui already; the place's not recovered enough yet. Plus, you _know_ Shibuya's without a Conductor. She'd fall apart without one if I left."

"So why didn't_ you_ take the position?"

"You know damn well I can't," Neku grumbled. "It's forbidden."

"Rules are meant to be broken, otouto."

"Not all of them, Niisama."

"Hm, if you say so."

They fell silent for a few moments, before Ruka suddenly murmured, almost thoughtfully: "You changed."

"…buh? What do you mean I 'changed'?" Neku asked, sounding and looking more than a little confused.

"…I'm not certain…" Ruka admitted, looking at the smaller Kyuubi, who sat cross-legged across from Ruka, whom was sitting upon his knees like before. "But something about you… it's different from the Kurasa I remember in my memories."

"…Well, cubs grow up, Niisama," Neku pointed out. "It only stands to reason I'd change, eventually."

"…I suppose you're right," the other Kyuubi consented finally. "I just worry about you. We both do. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do! But really, there's no need. I'm not a kit anymore, you know?"

"…heh. I suppose not."

Neku merely snorted as he guzzled down his tea in one go, leaning back on one arm and throwing his head back as he did. Once he had finished the cup, he set it back down on the table and wordlessly allowed Ruka to pour him another cup.

"…Speaking of rules, though," Ruka spoke suddenly, and his expression turned dark and serious. "Did you actually break any rules those old coots gave you?"

Upon hearing those words, the redhead actually tensed briefly, and he remained like that for a moment, before he mumbled: "…why… do you ask me that?"

"Like I said; I worry. I don't want to see you get hurt. Now I know you're more than old enough to take care of yourself, but even so… you didn't… _bite_ anyone… did you?"

"_NO!_" Neku almost shouted out, slamming his cup back on the table with both hands secured around the cup, startling both Ruka and Joshua (for which Josh was glad, since Ruka's gasp covered his own). "Err… I-I mean… n-no… no, of course I didn't… w-why would I?"

Joshua frowned a little, failing to see the importance of Neku _biting _someone. Really, was it so bad that it warranted such an expression of anger from the Proxy?

"…you did."

"No! I-I di—"

"Don't lie to me, Kurasa. You _did_. I thought I could smell it on you already, but I was hoping I was wrong… When did this happen?!"

"…" Neku remained silent for a long moment, keeping his head ducked down, and this could be just Joshua's eyes playing tricks on him, but it looked like he was shaking.

"Kurasa…"

"I… I don't want to talk about it…"

"…don't tell me…"

"Please, Niisama… I really don't want to talk about it…"

"…alright…" Ruka said finally, though he was glancing to Neku with a look Joshua couldn't explain. "I understand… but you know what effects this can and _will_ have on you… do you not?"

"…yes, Niisama…"

Ruka looked like he was about to say more, but just then, the bell that Joshua had heard earlier rang, only this time more frantically than it had before, and both Kitsune snapped their heads up in what appeared to be surprise and/or alarm, before they both jumped to their feet and hurried for the entrance of the shrine.

Joshua, not about to be left behind, decided it was time to get out of the room (he could always blame him walking in on that bell; it _was_ pretty loud), stood up and walked after them. What he saw when he reached the entrance… wasn't what he was expecting.

* * *

><p>"Madam… madam, calm yourself, please…" Ruka murmured softly as he tended to the woman who had broken down just before the shrine's steps and was now on her knees and bawling like a child throwing a tantrum, but the despair in her cries was heart-breaking. Neku was staying a small distance away, but he looked like he desperately wanted to close the distance and hug the woman, who was clutching the 'beach ball' that her stomach had become in only a scarce few months' time, but Ruka was already helping, so he decided to stay back for a moment. At least for now…<p>

The silver-haired Kyuubi adjusted his sleeve to cover his hand and began to gently wipe away the woman's tears, softly shushing her in his attempts to calm her. "Madam, please… whatever it is that ails you… surely, it cannot be so bad…"

But the woman continued to bawl, one hand gripping at her swollen stomach in what seemed like a desperate attempt to protect it and the child it carried. Neku frowned sadly at the amount of tears and searched through his pockets for a tissue or a handkerchief to give to her… but he hadn't packed any, because he usually didn't need it.

"Here," a familiar voice said then, and a handkerchief was held out to the woman. "Use this."

While Neku stared at Joshua for being there, the woman blindly accepted the piece of cloth and blew her nose, rather loudly, but no one said anything about it. Ruka allowed a small smile and wiped away the last of the tears.

"There we go… Come. Let us go inside before you catch a cold," he murmured, carefully helping her up to her feet and then began to lead her into the shrine. "Neku, Yoshiya, would you be so kind as to fetch a futon?"

"…Yeah, sure," Neku said with a small nod, and Joshua gave his own nod before following Neku further into the shrine. Once they were alone while picking up the futon in one of the other rooms, though, Neku hissed out: "The hell are you doing here?"

"Hihi. Ask your brother."

"…gah, dammit…" the Proxy grumbled, possibly already realizing that trying to get him to leave wouldn't work, since Ruka had 'invited' him in.

He said nothing else on the matter however as they returned to the main room, where they laid out the futon, allowing Ruka to lay the woman down carefully. She was still sobbing, but she had managed to calm herself somewhat, and, Joshua noticed, she wouldn't remove her hand from her stomach.

"All right… now please… tell me; what is it that has gotten you so upset?" Ruka asked, remaining calm as he sat by her side.

As he asked that, though, the woman looked almost ready to cry again, and she kept the handkerchief to her mouth and nose as she stammered out: "M-m-my baby… I… _hic_… the-they said… oh god oh god…" She started to cry again, and Ruka once more began to gently calm her, holding her hand and wiping away her tears, while Neku and Joshua sat across from them, watching silently. "The-they said… t-the doctors s-said…" she started, and then she wailed in despair, curling into herself in such a way it was almost as though it was to protect her stomach. And maybe it was. "Th-they said my baby is already _dead!_"

And Joshua froze.

When he was able to breathe, he looked over the woman. Her stomach was big, really big. She had to be at least a good 7… maybe even 8 months into her pregnancy. Hell, maybe she was already almost there and it was just a matter of weeks, or maybe days…

But if the baby was already dead… then…

Neku wasn't any better and was currently staring in just as much horror as Joshua at the woman, his attention focused almost entirely on her swollen stomach. He clenched his fists tightly, twisting the covers of the pillows almost violently as he tried not to think about the fact that the woman wasn't carrying life inside of her… but death.

Of course, if you try to _not_ think about something, you only start to think about it _more_.

Ruka, however, remained silent for a long time, his expression unreadable, before he gently, and carefully, unfolded the woman again so that she rested on her back. "Dead, they say?" he murmured, moving one of his hands along her stomach, his elongated nails slowly skittering across the clothed skin. "…When was this?"

"J-just t-today… I… I was… was worried be-because… _sniffle_… b-because she… ha-hadn't kicked in… in almost a w-week…" the woman choked out amidst her crying and sniffling as Ruka's hand smoothed out the creases of her larger than normal shirt. "And… and they said… _whimper_… th-they said sh… that she…!"

"Ssssh… it's alright, shush…" Ruka whispered, placing his free hand over her forehead. "Your husband… where is he?"

"I… I don't know… I… I just… I-I ran wi… without… I-I couldn't… n-not again… I…"

"…'again'?" Ruka asked, and this time, even he looked horrified. "This… has this happened before…?"

The woman's only response was a horrified, desperate wail that was answer enough on its own. Joshua winced at the sound and Neku quickly covered his ears, visibly suppressing the urge to start crying as well. Neither of the two had any sort of clue what they could possibly do in this situation.

Ruka seemed equally lost, but only for a moment as he schooled his features into its previous expression. "Madam… is there a way we can contact your husband? I believe it is better for you to be with him and rest…"

"N-no…!" the woman whimpered. "I… I can't… how can I face him?! I-I… I can't even give him a child! Wh-what use is a woman if—"

"That's enough!" Ruka almost shouted, startling all three other occupants of the room. The silverette took a deep breath and let it out in exasperation. "I apologize… but, truly, that is no way for anyone to be thinking… It only results in us becoming depressed when even the slightest thing goes wrong. And I am aware that this is… more than a 'slight thing'… but even then, to believe yourself to be worth nothing…" Ruka stopped talking and shook his head. "I know that, perhaps, I speak out of turn, but I am certain your husband is worried… for both of you."

Joshua blinked briefly, before his ears picked up something. Well… no, not his ears; _he_ picked up a sound… or, more accurately, Music.

A soft melody, unpracticed and rickety at first, but steadily, it began to straighten itself, a soft whistle of a flute with a quiet ringing of a xylophone, soft strumming of a guitar with a gentle hum of a violin, light pounding of a small drum set with the gentle whisper of a harp, all wrapped into one. He searched for the source, and found it coming from Ruka's hand that rested upon the woman's stomach, a soft blue glow swirling like musical notes around the limb and then siphoning into her skin, guiding the melody as it became more and more prominent until Joshua could finally place what the Kyuubi was doing.

Neku slowly brought up his hands, listening as well, before he lowered them to rest on his knees.

"But… but I'm…"

Her words were cut off by the sound of the bell that Joshua had already heard twice before, almost as desperate as it had been the last time.

"Ah… speak of the devil," Ruka murmured.

But before the woman could ask, a flustered-looking man came stumbling into the shrine, tripping over the single step at the entrance with one of his shoes flying off as he crashed into the floor with a pained grunt. He pushed up quickly, though, and when he saw the woman, he choked and cried out: "Keiko!"

Alarmed and shocked, the woman—Keiko—looked up as the man ran/stumbled his way over to her side, almost tripping again as his other shoe was coming undone. "Ko-Koshiro…" she whispered, slightly in fright, before the man suddenly dropped before her and then pulled her into a hug.

"Thank god you're alright!" he breathed out, holding the woman tightly to him, and he almost sounded like he was about to cry, and maybe he really was. "I was so scared I'd lost you both… please… don't do that to me again, Keiko… please please…"

"K… Koshiro…" Keiko choked out, hesitantly reaching out and hugging the man—most likely her husband if his matching ring was anything to go by—back, her body shaking from how she was suppressing her tears. "I… I'm so sorry… I… I just… I didn't… I… I'm so sorry… so, so sorry…!"

"Sssh, it's okay, it's okay…" Koshiro hushed her, running a hand through her hair. "I know you want to give birth, Keiko… I know… but please… even if… if it doesn't work… that doesn't mean I'll abandon you…" he whispered, holding her close. "Please, Keiko… I love you… I don't want to lose you…"

Keiko bit her lip, and she sobbed into her husband's shoulder, no longer seeming aware of the others' presence. She merely clung to Koshiro and cried, apologizing to him over and over again.

"I'm… I'm so sorry… I… I just… oh god I just… I wanted to… to give you…"

"It's okay… it's okay…" Koshiro murmured, rocking her like a child. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he obviously didn't know what to say or _how_. But maybe there was really no one who _did_…

"…If I may," Ruka suddenly said, and Koshiro looked up sharply, glaring at the silver-haired man as though _he_ was the guilty party here. However, what he said then made the couple choke in surprise. "All that stress if bad for the baby. You'll only upset her along with your wife."

"Wh… what are you…?" Koshiro began, before his wife gave a startled/pained cry as she clutched her stomach. "Keiko?!"

"…wha… how… I…" Keiko breathed out, both her hands now clutching at her stomach. And then… "Oof! …ah…!"

"Ke-Keiko? Wha… what's wro—"

"…she… she kicked…" Keiko choked out, her eyes shining with tears, but this time they were tears of relief. "She kicked me… she really kicked me!"

"Wha—!? But… but the doctors said…" Koshiro began, before his wife grabbed his hand and placed it upon her stomach. And five seconds later, Koshiro choked as he almost pulled his hand back, but then he, too, looked ready to cry. "She… she did kick… she did…"

Ruka allowed a small smile and turned his head to regard Neku and Joshua, and actually winked briefly behind the couple's back, to which Neku allowed a small smile and Joshua sighed softly with a smirk playing along his lips.

"Good. Now that everyone has calmed down… I do believe it will be a better idea for you to remain here for the time being," Ruka stated as he stood. "I do not know how much longer you have, but it surely would not do if you fell down the stairs outside when it happens, would it?"

"Uh… are you sure…?" Koshiro asked, clearly uncertain about the whole situation.

"Absolutely. I would be a most terrible host if I let you walk away as you are. Here, let me help you."

Unable to refuse, Koshiro allowed Ruka to help him and Keiko up and followed after the silverette as the Kyuubi lead them further into the shrine.

"Neku," he called before he disappeared into the other room. "I will speak to you later, alright? I am afraid this takes priority…"

"It's okay, Niisama," Neku said with a nod. "I'll see you later."

Ruka merely nodded in return, before he walked into the room, leaving Neku and Joshua alone in the room. Said pair just sat there for a few long moments, before Neku exhaled loudly and flopped backwards along a stack of pillows.

"Whew! Thank Grams for Ruka being there…" he mumbled.

"Hm? That's quite a curious way of saying so, dear," Joshua pointed out, earning a grumbled "Don't call me that". "There a reason for that?"

"Shut it… Grams lets me say so," Neku mumbled, as though that answered everything, before he rolled over onto his stomach and then climbed to his feet. "Anyway, I'm heading back… Dunno why _you_ were here, but…"

"Actually, I should be getting back, too," Joshua chuckled out. "Still have a Game to prepare for soon, after all."

"Ah…" That was all Neku really said as he turned and walked out, with Joshua following close behind.

As they stepped out into the sunlight, however, Joshua noticed something that he should've spotted from the beginning. "…Nice suit, dear."

"Sh-shut up!" Neku snarled out, adjusting the black suit's collar quickly. "This is so damn _restrictive_! Why is it humans have to have clothes that stick like a second skin?!"

"Hihi. Because it shows off how good we look to others, maybe?"

"Too much info…"

Joshua merely smirked as they descended the staircase, which was a bit of a challenge, Joshua realized, as the steps were a little smaller, and there weren't any railings, so while ascending was easy enough, _descending_ was a little harder. Neku, however, stepped down quietly, not the least bit affected by the steep staircase.

"…For your mother?" Joshua asked suddenly, all hints of amusement gone.

Neku paused. "…yeah…" he said finally, as he continued to walk down the steps. "I'm gonna go see dad 'bout what we're gonna do now."

"I see…"

They continued for a few moments down the steps, before Joshua spoke again, changing the subject to something lighter, and something he was sure Neku would be more willing to talk about than what had happened the day prior. "Interesting skill your brother has, by the way."

"Ski… oh! You mean with giving that baby her life back?" Neku asked, a small smile playing on his face. "Yeah… I don't usually get to see it, but yeah, it's awesome."

"Hihi… So, dear, I'm curious…" he spoke, ignoring the "Don't call me 'dear'!" quip from the Kyuubi, "if you were a woman, does that mean he could also impregnate you if you didn't feel like finding a partner for it?"

"What do you mean 'if I were a woman'?" Neku asked immediately, fiddling with her bangs. "Did you forget? Kitsune are shapeshifters. If I so wanted, I could be a woman at any given moment."

Joshua hadn't forgotten, of course. He giggled and said: "Oh I know that. But you'd have to _be_ a woman to give birth, don't you?"

"…Actually, where Niisama's involved, not really… I think he actually impregnated a guy at some point couple of centuries back because he was trying to pass as a woman to his in-laws," Neku murmured, scratching at his chin, and, of course, Joshua stared at him curiously.

"Oh? How does that work, dear?"

"Don't call me that! And anyway, Niisama says it has to do with genes or… whatever," Neku grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "He claims that every living being has certain… genes that allow their bodies to 'shift' to prevent their race's extinction. Certain types of frogs and lizards have been proven to have the ability to 'switch genders' to suit the situation. Niisama works on those genes and forces the body to shift so that it can accommodate."

"Really now?" Joshua hummed. This was certainly news to him. "Hmm… must've been painful for him…"

"Yeah well, giving birth is never easy, even if you're built for it."

"Hihi… so you'll pass on the actual 'giving birth' part, I'm assuming?"

Neku paused in his steps for a moment, seeming to think, before he looked up to the sky. It took him several minutes before he actually answered. "…I'm not sure…"

"…? How so, dear?"

"…well… I've… been considering it a few times…" Neku admitted, not looking away from the heavens.

The fact that Neku wasn't even saying anything about the nickname made it clear just _how_ deep in thought the Kyuubi had to be. Joshua waited to see if the Proxy would say anything else, but when he said nothing else, he decided to speak up again. "So, going to ask your dear brother to help with that?"

"…I'm… not sure yet…" the redhead admitted. "But… if possible… I… want to do it alone… well, as much as I can, anyway," he added with a chuckle. "Takes two to tango, as they say."

"Hihi. Obviously. So… have any potential 'partners' lined up for it?"

Neku tilted his head a little to the right, humming in thought. "…Maybe," he murmured softly.

Now Joshua could've seen wrong (and he probably was), but he almost swore Neku's eyes flashed his way briefly as he spoke the single word. He didn't have the chance to verify or ask about it, since the fox shook his head and said: "Anyway, let's keep going."

* * *

><p>Joshua wasn't certain how long they had been walking, but, before long, they descended the last step and were on their way down the path where Joshua had realized he wasn't in Shibuya anymore… and he paused in his steps.<p>

Of course, Neku noticed, and he stopped a small distance away to look back to him with a small hum. "Something wrong, Josh?"

Now, if this wasn't considered a perfect opportunity to confirm what he already knew, Joshua didn't know what _was_. And so, he merely smirked cheekily and, while moving his bangs out of his eyes, he quipped: "Oh, no, nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking… _Kura-niichan_."

The reaction from the fox was instantaneous; his eyes widened in alarm and his entire body visibly tensed, his mouth dropping open just slightly as he stared at the Composer, and it took him almost a minute before he was able to respond. "…wha… how did…?"

"Hihi. Why are you so surprised? You said I could, didn't you? Or was that a twin of yours, hm?"

"You were never supposed to _remember_ that! …guck!" As though he realized he had just said something he wasn't supposed to say, the redhead slapped both his hands over his mouth in alarm. He wasn't the only one shocked by his words, though.

"…what?" Joshua asked slowly, his hand falling away from his hair. "What… what do you mean I wasn't… …!" A thought struck him and he actually frowned. "You… wiped my memory?!"

"_No!_" Neku shouted immediately. "Dammit I can't mess around with memories like that! That's Yoru's job!"

"So you _had_ them wiped?!"

"That wasn't _MY _decision to make, alright?!"

"Then _whose_ was it?!"

"It was—…You know what? _Screw this!_ I'm not having a conversation you'll end up forgetting again anyway!"

Joshua stared in shock as Neku whirled around with every intent to run off, but, for once, Joshua was faster and was able to grab the Proxy by his wrist before he could. "Wait!"

Neku snarled and turned on Joshua, obviously angry. "Let me _go_, Joshua!"

"What do you mean I'll 'forget again'? What makes you so certain I'll forget?!"

"I already said I'm _not_ having this conversation," the fox snarled out, his pupils narrowed down to vertical slits. "Now let me go!"

Now if Joshua had been smart, he would've done as the Kyuubi had told him. But given his current situation, he threw caution to the wind and demanded: "Then at least tell me why!"

"I just said—"

"Why me?!" Joshua continued, startling the Kyuubi into silence. "Why just me?! You're a Kyuubi! You should've been able to save them! Why couldn't you save _them_?! _Why didn't you save my parents!?_" he demanded, now clutching the Kyuubi's hand with both of his own. "Why _me_ and not _them_?!" As the question left him, his legs threatened to buckle under his weight, but he did what he could to keep standing. "Why… why didn't you… you…?"

"…"

"Why…?" Joshua choked out, his legs finally giving way even though he refused to let go of the Kitsune's hand. "Why just me…? Why not…"

Neku sighed heavily, shaking his head briefly before he lowered himself on his knees, tugged his hand loose and then pulled the Composer to him in a firm hug, tucking the boy's head under his chin. He didn't say anything; he merely held the silverette close, and the boy only choked on sobs that tried to escape his throat, clinging to Neku's dress shirt tightly.

…_do-kun…do-kun…do-kun…do-kun…_

The sound of Neku's heart pounding steadily against his ribcage echoed through Joshua's ears, and, just like the last time, the Composer gradually felt his awareness slipping, until he fell under entirely, silent tears rolling down his cheeks.

* * *

><p>Warmth… so warm… where is this…?<p>

…_nurgh… wha… where…?_

…_**They were good people.**_

…_? Huh…?_

He… knows that voice… but… who is it…?

…_**Your parents. They were good people.**_

…now he remembers… that voice… it belongs to… to…

…_then… why didn't…?_

_**The original history… your father died, telling you to run, but your mother lived… only for you to be killed in her stead…**_

…_!_

_**You were her first… and her only son… She had almost lost you as a baby already… she refused to let you die so young…**_

…_but… how…?_

_**Rewriting history to save someone… is both forbidden, and impossible… If you save one life… you'll kill another instead… For each life you save, another innocent will be killed…**_

…_but… but I lived…_

_**Yes… and I think you know why…**_

The thought has already formed in his head… but he is afraid of hearing the truth… hearing that…

…_mother…_

_**Yes.**_

…_she… knew…?_

_**I told her. I could not rewrite history to save you without killing another… Then… she told me this;**_

…_then… then take mine! If you can't save his life without taking another, take mine instead! Let me die here but please! Please save my baby!_

His mother's voice… laced with tears…

…_mo… mother…_

…_**Nothing I said would make her say otherwise. She wished for her own death… embraced it, even… if it meant for you to live.**_

…_but… why did you…?_

…_**to save a life that has had decades to live… or to save a life that still has decades to go… what would you choose?**_

He does not answer… because the answer is obvious…

…_but… why did you…?_

…_**it does not matter why… just know I did something I should have never even considered… and that the consequences of my actions… could have been much greater than they became.**_

_But…!_

_**Sleep, Yoshiya… you have much more pressing issues to worry yourself about…**_

_No wait…!_

He has so many questions still… questions he wants to have answers to… answers he needs… but…

_**Oyasumi. ~chu~**_

* * *

><p>Joshua snapped awake once more, and the phrase 'déjà vu' echoed through his mind. But this time he was looking up to the ceiling of his room in WildKat. He wasn't even going to ask how he came to be there; it was obvious, really.<p>

He sighed and placed the back of his hand over his eyes. The Kyuubi's words still echoed through his head, and he couldn't understand why Neku—or Kurasa, whichever—had done what he had so long ago, just to save him. Nor could he grasp why his memories of that time had to be wiped. What was so important about his memories that they had to be wiped?

He didn't know, and he had a distinct feeling he didn't even _want_ to know… and yet he _did _want to know…

"…Dammit…" he mumbled softly, a single tear rolling out from his eye, before he succumbed to sleep once more, mentally exhausted…

But as he continued to fall deeper and deeper into sleep, a small smile began to play along his face as voices wafted through his head.

* * *

><p>"<em>Kura-niichaaaaan!"<em>

"_Hm? What's wrong, Joshua?"_

"_Kura-niichan, it's started snowing! Let's go play in the snow!"_

"_Ah… not right now, okay? I need to finish some things…"_

"_But Kura-niichaaan! It's snowing now!"_

"_I'm sorry, Joshua. I really need to finish this."_

"…"

"…_Now don't look at me like that. I'm sorry, but I just don't have the time."_

"…"

"…_oh alright. But just this once."_

"_Yay!"_

* * *

><p>"…snow? Already?" Neku murmured as he stopped walking, looking up to the skies and holding out one hand, catching a few of the flakes that drifted down. Of course they hadn't said anything about it on the news. Go figure…<p>

"…_nyaaaaaa_…"

Upon hearing that, Neku snarled and smacked at a small object he had hanging from his belt, which looked like a really tiny cricket cage. "Shut it in there, Yoru! You've got only yourself to blame!"

"Aww come on-nya!" the same voice whined from the cage, and the shrunken black cat looked up to Neku with its mismatched eyes. "I was just doing what Kamui-sama asked me to-nya!"

"And that's _exactly_ why you're in there right now!" Neku snarled. "I'm not letting you out until Niisama has the time to deal with you."

"_Nooooo-nyaaaaaan!_ Ruka-sama's gonna _kiiiiill_ me-nya!"

"Not my problem."

The cat whined unhappily, but Neku just kept walking, occasionally pausing to admire the falling snow. It was wet snow, so it disappeared soon after hitting the ground, but it was still amazing to see.

"…"

* * *

><p><em>Kura-niichan! Catch!<em>

_**Hm? What… GAH!**_

_Hahahah!_

…_**you little…!**_

* * *

><p>"…Yoru, you said you wiped Joshua's memories last time," Neku said suddenly.<p>

"Nya? I did-nya!" the cat exclaimed.

"Not good enough, it seems."

"Hey-nya!"

"Whatever. You'll have to answer to that either way when Niisama's done with Kamui."

"_Nyaaaaaaaaa…_"

* * *

><p>It was almost evening by the time that Neku finally arrived at the Sakuraba household, and it wasn't difficult to miss the fancy black Lexus with its tinted windows driving away, and he knew that some of his father's friends had just left. Of course, that didn't much matter to Neku; it was one of the reasons he had decided to come so late. He had a better chance of not running into them that way. Not that they were bad people (most of 'em), but there were a couple of them who just creeped him out.<p>

Wordlessly, he used his own key to open the door, but he rang the bell twice, shortly and quickly, before he pushed the door open and walked in.

"Tadaima," he called out, before he walked to the living room.

As he had expected, Reachi was sitting in the room by the window, holding a glass of dark red liquid, his long coat draped across the back of his seat, leaving him in some black jeans and sleeveless shirt. This allowed people to witness the intricate colored tattoos that ran all along his broad shoulders and back, the letters "VIII" burned into his skin over what appeared to be an upside-down heart made of flames.

"Hey, kiddo," the man murmured as Neku walked over, taking a seat across from him on the chair. "'s Just lemonade, by the way, before you start," he said, holding up his glass.

Neku nodded. His dad had stopped drinking a couple of months after Neku turned 5, when he had almost caused serious injuries to both his son and Meiko, due to him having drunk just a few glasses too many. But, given the situation, Neku could forgive him if he started drinking again. A little…

"Who did I miss?"

"Ah, you just missed Sai. You know, 'Mr. Grumpy'."

"Oh, him…" Neku mumbled softly.

Reachi merely chuckled. He knew that Neku had never been able to get along with Sai much, and the feeling had always been mutual. Sai just wasn't much of a people person, and even less of a child person. Therefore, Sai had always been known to Neku as "Mr. Grumpy" during his earlier years.

He downed his drink in one go, before he turned to his son properly. "Your mom's up in the guest room. If you want to go up…"

"Yeah, I'll see her in a bit…" Neku murmured, taking a few deep breaths. "Not sure I'm ready just yet…"

The older redhead sighed softly, well aware that this had to be very hard on the boy—or young man, honestly, but Reachi would always see him as a boy—as he had always been a little closer to his mom than to him. To hear that she had passed away must've been terrible for him. Of course, that didn't mean the boy didn't care for him, but this blow struck him slightly harder than his death would've.

"…you a'ight, kid?"

"I'm not a child anymore, dad… but… well… I dunno…" Neku admitted slowly. "Just… it's just… so sudden… I mean… I was talking to her just a few hours earlier… and then she…" Neku didn't know where he was going, so he stopped talking then and there.

The two men just remained sitting there for a few long moments, both of them lost in thought, unsure of what their future had in store for them from now on. After a few more minutes, Neku finally sighed and stood up.

"I'm gonna go see her now…" he announced softly, and then proceeded down the hallway and up the stairs toward the guest room. And his father merely watched him go, lightly spinning his glass in hand as though there were still liquid inside.

'…still a bit reserved, huh?' he thought absently to himself, allowing a half-smirk. 'Mei… he's more like you than you thought…'

He still recalled meeting Neku's mother, 23 years ago. They'd known each other for only two years when Meiko had dared to approach him to inform him she was expecting a child; a baby boy, his son. She had never had any doubt about that it was his child, and she held on for the next few months that she was pregnant. Of course, after those few months, there was no use in denying she was, and he, being the ever courteous guy he was, proposed to her. It wasn't really a marriage of love at the time, but more a matter of honor, and they had squabbled more than they had talked, most of them revolving around her alcohol and smoking habits during her pregnancy. And yet, somehow, it was those squabbles that had kept them together throughout he years.

And then came _the day_… the day Neku was born.

When the doctors said their son was stillborn, Meiko had, quite venomously, flipped a lid. Of course she'd been sad, but anger was how she had always solved all her problems before, and she had taken her son's body and had spanked him several times whilst shouting furiously. The doctors would've stopped her… but then Neku had begun to wail, loudly…

In her surprise, Meiko had almost dropped him, but when she finally had her son safely in her arms, she broke down and she sobbed and cried in relief, hugging her little baby close, thanking whatever deities that watched them for not taking him away.

It was also the first time in Reachi's life that he had seen the proud woman cry…

He had to admit to himself, though, they certainly wouldn't have won any awards for being perfect parents. They were anything but; always arguing, drinking, smoking, and at one point, Reachi suffered a drug addiction that lasted for almost two years. While they were always there for Neku individually, they were unable to be there for him together…

And that was when Neku was shot…

He had been in a coma, hovering between life and death, for three weeks, leaving Meiko and Reachi in a state of both despair and panic. Meiko couldn't bring herself to smoke a single cigarette and ended up crushing them all between her nervous fingers, and Reachi had had several occasions where he crushed beer cans (full of beer, still) or smashed bottles of alcohol in his own fits of blind rage and panic…

So when Neku opened his eyes after those three weeks, their relief knew no bounds.

Reachi sighed softly and looked up to the ceiling, a small smirk playing on his face. He didn't know what had happened to Neku during his coma, but it had definitely changed him… and them as well. And only two weeks later, Neku had brought home four friends to play games and just chill out, whereas before he would've vehemently stated he didn't need friends.

They never did figure out who it was that shot their child… but, somewhere in his mind, Reachi was a little glad it had happened. Just a little…

There was one thing that hadn't changed, however; both Meiko and Neku had difficulty properly expressing emotions like sadness unless they were alone. Which meant…

After setting down his glass, he silently began to walk up the stairs, and, soundlessly, he looked into the guest room. His expression softened as he looked upon his son's back, bent forward as he sobbed quietly over the mahogany chest in which lay the boy's mother, wearing the deep red one piece dress he had first met her in, a rose nestled amidst her hair and a peaceful expression on her face. But that didn't stop the tears from coming…

Reachi sighed softly and walked over, gently pulling his son into a hug from behind, and the younger redhead only held on tight, and for a long time, that was how they stayed…

* * *

><p><strong>Bet some of you were wondering what happened to the kitty, eh?<strong>

**And I'm sure everyone who's seen Jurassic Park knew about the frogs/lizards who can flip genders at will.  
><strong>

**Also; I'm no longer giving any hints about who Reachi's based off of. The next time he appears, I'm just going to say it. Cookies to whoever can guess who the base was at this point.**


	15. Stage 15 The Experiment

_**Wishes**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 15 - The Experiment<strong>_

Joshua flipped open his phone for the 10th time in the last hour, but he sighed and flipped it shut almost right after. The last Game had come and gone in a heartbeat, and Joshua had barely batted an eye at it during it all. And why was that? Because there had been _no_ interruptions at all…

And that was what had him worried.

The last few months, he had always been called out by Neku at least once a week, whether there was a Game going or not, and this time there hadn't been a word from the Kyuubi. That in itself was worrisome, let alone the fact that Neku had mentioned his memories would be wiped at one point. There was no way this could be good…

After taking a deep breath, Joshua pushed up from his desk and walked out his room, down the stairs, and then out of WildKat. It was still early, so Hanekoma was still asleep, for which he was glad. He wasn't really in the mood to explain where he was going so early in the morning.

As he walked, though, he came to a sudden realization. This had to be the first time that Joshua was the one going to meet Neku, without the Kyuubi prodding him into going.

Joshua sighed softly as he walked – and then he paused when he spotted someone he recognized. Someone he hadn't been expecting. He was about to just turn and walk around, but he had already been spotted.

"Oy, Kiryuu!" Reachi called out, and Joshua resisted the urge to curse, before he turned around to face the man who had called to him.

"Ah, Sakuraba-san, good day," he spoke politely as the man approached. He wasn't wearing the black coat today, but instead he wore some easy clothes, though still all in black, which, given the weather, wasn't such a bad idea. He was also carrying a hefty looking bag in two fingers over his right shoulder, a sports bag by the look of it… Maybe he just came from the gym or something. "I actually didn't see you there."

"Hey, kiddo… do me a favor and don't be so formal with me, will ya?" Reachi chuckled out, his bag still hanging over his shoulder from two fingers.

"Hm? Well, if you wish. Though, what _do_ you want me to call you then?" Joshua asked with a small chuckle.

The redhead merely smirked and said: "Call me 'Rea'," and then he tapped his left temple as he quipped: "Got it memorized?"

"Hihi. Yes sir," Joshua quipped cheekily. After a moment, however, he sobered up and he realized that he needed to say something he _really_ didn't want to… but he _had_ to… "I heard about your wife… I'm sorry for your loss."

"…Ah… yeah…" Rea murmured, rubbing at his neck for a moment, all trace of amusement gone. "It's sad… but what can you do? Sometimes these things… just happen…" Rea shrugged. "Much as we want, we can't stop that."

"…I suppose you're right…" Joshua agreed. "How's Neku dealing? He seemed… well, spaced out… when he got the news…"

The redhead shook his head with a small smirk. "Heh. Yeah, that's just like him," he chuckled out. "Always keeping his emotions under wraps when all he wants to do is cry."

"Hm? Odd… I wasn't aware he was like that," Joshua murmured, filing that piece of info away for later.

"Well, don't tell 'im I said so," Rea laughed, before he sobered. "Honestly, though, he's got that from Meiko… Those two just hate having people worry about them, so they sentence themselves to crying alone."

"…Tragic…" the Composer murmured thoughtfully.

"Hmhmm… and they dun even realize that it's only making people worry about them more than they did already…" the man added. "Anyway, kid's just along this path if you're looking for him," he said casually, pointing down said path.

"Ah, thank you."

Rea merely smirked and slapped the silverette on his shoulder, and walked past him. "Been nice seeing you, kiddo. See ya."

Joshua nodded quietly, watching Rea go for a brief moment, before he started walking again. And before long, he spotted the redhead in question…

And he froze.

* * *

><p>Neku wordlessly sipped from his can for a moment, staring up to the sky, before he spoke casually: "So… that everything you wanna know?"<p>

"…ch… yeah," Jin said simply from where he sat, one leg slung over the bench's armrest, holding his own can by its edge with just his fingertips, with his cap obscuring his eyes. Whatever they had been talking about, it barely seemed to interest him.

"Heh… You're never gonna change, huh?"

"…prolly not…" Jin mumbled, before he downed the remainder of his drink and threw the empty can 6 feet away into the nearest trash can with perfect aim.

"Nice shot…" Neku said softly.

"…whatever…"

Neku merely chuckled. But before he could say something…

"Having fun, boys?"

Neku blinked and looked over, while Jin merely looked up.

"Niisama." / "…you again?"

Ruka chuckled as he walked over, dressed in the same easy clothes he had been wearing when Jin had first met him and carrying a pretty hefty looking bag along. "Wasn't expecting to see you both here, to be honest," he admitted. "You two holding up okay?"

"Yeah, we're okay. Right, Jin?" Neku asked casually of the brunette, who merely snorted in response.

The older silver-haired fox laughed softly. "Hahah, good to know. Anyway, Neku, I'm here to pick up a small package you have for me?" It was half a question, half a statement.

"Ah, right." Neku stood up and reached for his belt, removing the small cricket cage, ignoring the frightened wails coming from it and handing it to Ruka, who seemed just as intent on ignoring the sound.

"Thank you. And this is for you," Ruka said, handing the bag to Neku, who took it curiously – and nearly collapsed under its weight with a yowl. "Yeah, careful, it's heavy."

"You don't say," Neku grumbled, setting it down by his feet. "What'd you put in there?"

"Oh, just a few things for you to… experiment with, if you will," Ruka chuckled softly.

"…I almost don't wanna know…" the redhead murmured.

Jin snorted and stood up wordlessly. "…whatever…" he mumbled, putting his hands in his pockets and began to walk off.

"Oyoy, Jin…" Ruka chuckled out. "You _really_ should learn to enjoy your life a little more, you know?"

"…what's the point?" Jin asked, looking back over his shoulder. "I'll be dead in a few weeks anyway." And with that, he walked away without another words spoken.

"…Hm… that true, Neku?" Ruka asked once the boy had gone.

"…Yeah… second of November…" the redheaded fox murmured.

"Not long from now, huh?"

Silence befell the pair for a few moments, before Neku sighed. "So um… how's Kamui?"

"Oh he's… hanging around," Ruka said, almost casually, but both his eyes and facial expression turned stone cold just then.

"…I dun wanna know…" Neku almost whimpered, which was only answered by a small smirk.

"Either way, I'll just leave you to your own devices for now," the older fox said casually. "I still have some work to do, after all. Busy, busy, busy…"

Neku chuckled and shook his head. "You're _always_ busy."

"Exactly. That's why I'll be going now," he said casually, as he waved and started walking away with a smile, leaving Neku on his own.

Said redhead watched the other Kyuubi go, before he said without turning around: "Hey, Joshua."

He didn't turn to face the Composer, but he didn't need to in order to know it was him. Joshua didn't reply verbally for a while as he stepped closer, which in itself was unusual, but Neku left it be, for the time being. He had some other things to worry about, after all…

Wordlessly, he bent down to properly pick up the bag Ruka had given him (since he was afraid the handle would snap because of its weight), before he finally turned to Joshua. "So… how'd the Game go?"

"…Well enough, thank you," the silverette said curtly, and Neku blinked once, but he didn't say anything about it.

"…Something wrong?" Neku asked, a tad cautiously. He could already tell something was off…

"…No. Nothing's wrong."

Curt. To the point. And _very_ unlike Joshua.

A small idea formed into the Kyuubi's mind as to the reason behind this change in behavior, but he wasn't going to press his luck here. So, after adjusting his hold on the bag, he asked: "Aaanyway, if you've got some time, you wanna go to my place? Gotta unpack and stow away all this stuff I got."

"…Sure."

No smart comments. No airy giggle. No nothing.

'The hell is wrong with you, Joshua?'

* * *

><p>Joshua had only one word for the trip to Neku's apartment… no wait, two; silent and tense. At least, it was tense to him. Why? Hell, he didn't even <em>know<em>. The moment he saw Neku speaking to Jin so casually… something just… just… he didn't know _what_ it did… but he didn't like it.

Neku balanced the bag in one arm as he fished in his pocket for the keys, and almost dropped the bag. "Argh! Dammit!" he hissed as he caught it moments before its contents (whatever it was) could hit the floor.

Joshua sighed, catching the 'subtle' hint and took over the bag. "Just get the keys, dear."

"Shut it!" Neku growled out, finally managing to pull out his keys and open the door before heading inside, with Joshua following right behind.

Once Joshua had kicked the door shut and wriggled out of his shoes, he followed the redhead into the living room, where he deposited the bag upon the coffee table as Neku walked into the kitchen. As Joshua moved back to take a seat, however, the bag finally caved in under its own weight and tumble over, sending several boxes crashing to the floor.

"Woops!"

"Hey, watch it! I don't know how much of that stuff is fragile, dammit!" Neku called out as he came over from the kitchen, grumbling as he helped Joshua in picking up the boxes and setting them back on the table. "Figures he doesn't label the boxes… ugh…" Neku grumbled as he dropped the biggest box, which was rectangular in shape and covered one fourth of the table on its own, on the coffee table.

Joshua sighed as he took his seat. He couldn't say he was overly interested, but he was a bit curious as to what was in the boxes. Of course, who wouldn't be upon seeing unlabeled boxes? "So… what did your big brother give you?"

"Well… probably new versions of the stuff he 'borrowed' last week… which is probably in these," Neku mumbled, briefly lifting up a few boxes. "The other ones… that's probably the 'interest' he mentioned earlier…" After taking a deep breath – and waving his hand, which caused the curtains to be flung shut, oddly enough – the fox picked up the biggest box and ripped off the tape. "Well… may as well see what this stuff all is…"

The Composer of Shibuya watched silently as Neku flipped open the lid and looked inside. When the Kyuubi blinked, twice, and then sighed and rubbed his temples, though, he asked: "Not a good present, dear?"

"Don't call me that… and… well… now I get what Niisama said about Kamui… 'hanging around'…" Neku mumbled, standing up as he pulled out the box's contents.

What the Kyuubi pulled out reminded Joshua of a swing set, but it was made of leather, had two 'seats'… and four smaller straps that looked almost like…

"…So… what exactly a-am I looking at?" Joshua asked, and he cursed his voice for breaking briefly.

"I don't have much space here to hang this thing, but… watch." Neku brought up two pieces of the 'swing' and held it in a chair-like position. "How would you propose you sit in this?"

"…same as you do a normal swing?" the Composer asked slowly.

"Not necessarily," Neku said, as he adjusted his grip slightly. "It's also possible to hang upside-down in this. Of course, doing that for too long is painful for one's head with all the blood flowing the wrong way…"

Speaking of blood flowing to the head… Joshua could _feel_ his own cheeks heating when he realized just _what_ it was really for. "Aha… I… I see."

Neku, not seeming to notice the look, put the swing down on the table again. "Right… what else…" he mumbled, taking his seat and snagging the next box. "These are… ah. Candles. I told him he could _keep_ those… oh well." Stowing the box away silently, Neku grumbled something to himself as he picked up a smaller box. "Right… what's this…? Hm?" The redhead quirked an eyebrow and produced a small blue egg-shaped with a string attached to it. "…oooo… kaaaaay… the hell?" he mumbled, turning the object a few times in his fingers. "…and this is… what? Dammit, Niisama… at least put the instructions in there…"

"…" Joshua just knew he would regret it. He _knew_ it. And yet he still said _it_. "Let me see for a moment."

The Kyuubi didn't even question it and only nodded and passed the 'egg' over to Joshua. From what Joshua could see of the item, it had originally been two halves, but it wasn't easy to remove it. and when he managed to open it, the only thing it provided was that there were batteries inside.

"Hmm… it runs on batteries, dear."

"Don't call—batteries? But there weren't any…" Neku frowned and then looked through the box again as Joshua puts the top on again. "Oh, hey. Remote."

Neku pressed down on one of the buttons and Joshua would later swear on his own grave that he did _not_ yowl as the object in his hand buzzed and vibrated, landing on the table and buzzing madly.

"…Ooookaaay…" the redhead murmured, looking to the remote briefly, before he mumbled: "How fast does this thing go?" and pressing down a few more times. And in response, the small egg almost buzzed its way right off the table. "…Pretty fast," he said softly, flipping it off again and snagging the egg up and tossing it back in the box. "Hardy har."

As Neku started looking through some of the other boxes, Joshua's face was, by now, a rather vibrant cherry red, he was sure of it, because it surely _felt_ like it…

"…Hm? Is this…?" Neku said suddenly, pulling out a slightly longer box. After flipping it open, he snorted. "Yep," he quipped, reaching inside and pulling out a leather collar, which had a thin chain leash attached to it. "Was wondering when he'd get me one of these…"

"O-oh…?" the silverette managed to get out, and he had to gulp down whatever was blocking his throat. "H-how so…?"

"Well, he's been using this for himself for a few years already…" Neku said with a shrug – just as there was a "ding" from the kitchen that made him look up. "Oh. Be right back."

Joshua watched as Neku put the leather and chain down and stood up to head for the kitchen. But even before he had completely left, Joshua's gaze was already drawn back to the table. Or more precisely, the collar that Neku had just put down.

"…"

* * *

><p>'Tea… tea… oh gimme a break! I thought I got a new batch last time! Ugh… should've checked before I went to boil water for that jerk…' Neku had to resist the urge to growl in annoyance as he ran a hand through his hair in thought. 'Right… so I can't serve tea, I guess… what am I gonna do with the hot water, though?'<p>

Before Neku was able to think of something to do with the water, a peculiar sound reached his ears that he didn't immediately recognize. However, when he determined the source of the sound, he cursed softly and immediately dashed back into the living room. He was behind Joshua in an instant, who was gasping and choking with both his hands almost clawing at his neck, his body instinctively coiling up.

"Dammit Josh! Quit moving!" Neku hissed out as he pulled the silverette back, reaching around the boy's neck, searching and finally finding the buckle of the collar, tugging lightly and then smoothly slipping it off, allowing the Composer to breathe again. "Whew… the _hell_ were you doing?!"

Joshua winced sharply as he gasped to try and get his breathing back under control. Hell, he didn't know _what_ he had been planning when he had just picked up the collar and secured it around his own neck, but he'd been struck by the sudden urge to… _try_ that he just couldn't squash. But as he opened his mouth to say something (an apology, or maybe some sort of weird reason, or something) Neku's fingers were back on his throat and the slide of leather along his throat made him suck in a breath in slight alarm.

"Seriously… there's no need to be impatient, you know?" Neku grumbled as he slipped the strap through the buckle. "Though if you _do_ insist on doing this by yourself…" he paused to place two fingers between the leather material and Joshua's throat, "_always_ put two fingers between so you don't choke yourself, okay?"

The Composer had to suppress the urge to gulp, only because Neku's fingers were _right on his throat and he'd __know!_ Neku's fingers remained as he kept his fingers where they were while he _slowly_ tightened the collar before he secured it and slipped the other end of the collar through the buckle. And only then did he _slowly_ remove his hands from Joshua's throat.

"There," Neku murmured softly, not moving away from where he was just yet, resting his fingers on Joshua's shoulders. "That's much better… ne?"

Joshua gulped and only just managed a nod as his fingers traced over the leather collar secured along his throat. When Neku suddenly nipped on his earlobe, he might've jumped, but when Neku spoke, he froze again.

"You like it, don't you… _Yo~shi~ya_?"

The use of his given name made Joshua shut his eyes and bite his lip with a barely contained whine. However, some part in the back of his mind reminded him that he was expected to answer or he'd be in big trouble, and so he forced himself to speak.

"Y-ye-yes… Ne… M-Master…"

The word was out before he could stop himself, but it seemed to please Neku. "Hmm… that so, huh?" he purred out, and Joshua moaned as he felt the Kyuubi's nails lengthen as they slid along his throat. "In that case… why don't we try out a few of these new toys, ne? Would you like that?"

Joshua whined as Neku dragged his fingers lower, over his clothed chest, along his sides, and his breathing picked up gradually. "Ye… yes, please… Ma… Master…"

Neku chuckled quietly, as he reached out with one hand and picked up the leash that rested beside Joshua, and attached it to the ring on the collar. "Good answer…" he purred as he walked around the seat, and then tugged lightly, the motion almost easily pulling Joshua out of his seat and into him.

The silverette barely managed to gasp before his mouth was covered by Neku's, drawing a long, appreciative moan from Josh. When Neku pulled away again, he couldn't help himself and whined unhappily – which resulted in a smack to his ass.

"Don't whine," Neku threatened with a small growl as he dug his nails into Joshua's ass. "If you're good, you can have more, but no sooner than that. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, Master… I-I'm sorry…"

Neku smirked as he ran a finger down the side of the boy's face. "Good boy," he purred out, before he stepped back two steps. "Now… on your knees."

Joshua didn't even think and wordlessly lowered himself to his knees. If Joshua had been paying even a little bit attention, he might've noticed that he was being Imprinted on, but he was already too far gone for that and only moaned when Neku stroked his hair.

"Good pet," Neku murmured, running his thumb along Joshua's lip. "Tell me, pet… who is your Master?"

"You…" he whimpered, shutting his eyes as he resisted to urge to lick the finger that continued smoothing over his lips. "Master…"

And Neku only smirked down at Joshua, his pupils slitted through the iris already, before he moved his hand through the silver locks and then pulling away. When Joshua realized he had pulled away, he opened his eyes again, looked up to him and almost pouted, but he didn't make a noise this time. Neku chuckled softly as he coiled the leash around his hand.

"Do you want me, pet?" he crooned softly, resting his free hand on his hip and hooping his finger into his pants.

Joshua felt his face heat up as that motion showed off a small piece of the Kitsune's stomach and his hipbone. He gulped briefly, and breathed out after he wet his lips: "Y-yes, Master…"

"Prove it to me, then," his Master purred, rubbing the chain leash between his thumb and forefinger. "Show me how much you want me."

It took a few moments for Joshua's brain to catch up to what the Kyuubi was referring to, and when he did, he felt his entire body heat up. However, the smoldering look the fox was giving him just then almost made him groan and so, with shaking fingers, he began to undo the buttons of his shirt, one by one, keeping his gaze trained on his Master as he let his fingers slide down his own chest. As he reached the edge of his pants, he hesitated, suddenly unsure if this was what his Master wanted.

Before he could worry for too long, though, Neku murmured: "Go on."

Joshua nodded once and undid both the button and zipper of his pants, slipping the cloth down gradually while keeping his gaze trained on Neku's dark blue, lustful one, feeling oddly pleased at the look of approval on Neku's face. The Composer almost whined when Neku licked his lips hungrily and he had to shut his eyes to keep his focus on what he was doing, though he hiss softly as he touched his own erection, just with the finger pads, though, in the same way his Master would also do. He whimpered softly as he played with the head with his thumb. He'd been told (or ordered, honestly) before to touch himself like that for his Master, but something about this time made it seem different and _so_, _so_ much better…

"Arch your back, pet…" the redhead murmured and Joshua did so with only a little whimper. "Let me see you properly."

"…mmm… _aaaaahhh_… M-Master…" he moaned out, his hand moving faster now, clasping his length in his palm now and imagining it was his Master's hand instead. But he couldn't ask for that, he knew; he couldn't ask his Master for it, because he had to _earn_ his Master's touch.

Wearily, he managed to crack his eyes open a little to look at the redhead, and he moaned at the look the Kitsune gave him. If it was possible to fuck another person with their eyes only, then the Kyuubi was currently doing that right then and there.

"Stop," Neku said suddenly. "That's enough."

Joshua wanted to whine, but he held himself back as he slowly let his hand fall away. As much as he didn't want to, he had to listen, because he knew what would happen if he didn't listen.

There was a tug on the leash and he gasped, pulled forward onto his hands and knees. Joshua blinked, before he noticed one of his Master's tails collecting all the 'presents' back in the bag before picking it up.

"As fun as that was… we should continue this somewhere more… private."

Joshua only needed a moment to realize what that meant, and he nodded, making sure not to appear _too_ eager. He had a feeling that was a sure way to getting hit again. And so he followed when there was another tug on the leash, crawling on hands and knees after the Kitsune.

* * *

><p>"Irrasha—Oh! Ruka! Good to see you! How you been doing, huh?" Doi Ken laughed out as the silver-haired male stepped inside.<p>

"It is good to see you as well, Kunkai," Ruka said with a small smile as he approached the counter. "And I have been well, thank you. Though I must admit you make yourself rather difficult to find."

"Hahaha! What do you expect?" the man laughed out. "So, you hungry? I could make ya somethin' real quick if you want."

"I think I shall take you up on that offer," Ruka chuckled as he sat himself down. "I have been rather busy…"

"Heh. You always were a busy bee, Ruka," the salesman said with a chuckle of his own, starting to work. "So I guess you came here to see that little brother of yours, eh?"

"Actually, I have already spoken to him… I am actually here to speak with you."

"Hm? Whatever for?"

* * *

><p>"Mmmm… <em>aaaaahhh<em>… M-Master…" Joshua managed to breathe out when Neku pulled away from the long kiss they had just shared, a string of saliva landing on his chin, but he honestly couldn't care. He merely moaned as his Master lowered him back into the swing that Neku had managed to hang up with his tails. "Ah… M-Master…"

Neku merely smirked as he caressed the boy's chest, before he maneuvered him around until he lay in the swing facedown, with his knees on the lower half and secured the restraints around his wrists and ankles. "Comfy?"

Joshua tried to move a little, and found that, while he was restrained, it wasn't _so_ bad, really. It was the position itself that needed some time to get used to. He didn't fully trust his own voice yet to say so, though, so he only managed a small nod and a soft whimper.

"Good," Neku purred, running his fingers slowly along Joshua's back, making the boy mewl a little. After a moment, though, Neku's expression sobered up as he spoke. "Before we start, though… there is one thing I want to ask you about, pet."

Confused, Joshua tried to look back to Neku without turning his head, but the fox was _just_ out of his line of sight. The Kitsune slowly ran his fingers down the back of Joshua's thighs and the boy whimpered.

"After Niisama left… you seemed… what's the word? Unenthused," Neku murmured. "Like you were… angry with me. Were you?"

Joshua tensed, for he heard the soft snarl in Neku's voice and realized that he was expecting an honest answer. "N-no, Master…" he admitted. "I… I wasn't angry…"

"Really now?" Neku asked as he walked back into the silverette's line of sight, this time carrying an item in his hand; a paddle. "Tell me then…" he murmured, lightly hitting his own hand with the paddle in a way that was almost threatening, "what _were_ you?"

Joshua almost gulped when he saw the paddle, but he managed to stop himself, somehow, and he looked away to the floor. "I… I wasn't… I was just… a-a little lost in my thoughts Master…" he choked out, as Neku walked around him slowly.

"…I don't believe you."

_**SMACK SMACK**_

Joshua let out a startled/pained cry when his Master hit him with the paddle on both ass cheeks, and while it didn't really _hurt_, it was the fact that he was being _punished_ that struck him much harder than any hit ever could.

"When I addressed you… you barely responded. Not the way you normally would, at least," Neku said, briefly adjusting his hold on the paddle. "Let alone, you looked like you were ready to rip someone to shreds. So I'll ask you again; _why_ were you so angry?"

"I-I wasn't angry, M-Master!"

_**SMACK SMACK**_

"_AH!_"

"_Don't lie to me!_ If you weren't angry, then what were you?!" Neku demanded reaching out with his free hand and yanking on Joshua's hair, making the boy wail out. "Answer me, Yoshiya! What the _hell_ were you thinking?!"

"I-I-I s-swear I… I wasn't… a-angry… Ma-Master! I-I was just… I-I…!"

"You were just _what?!_"

Joshua whimpered as Neku's hand curled up tighter even as he was struck twice again, tugging hard enough to draw out tears from his eyes. Or at least, that would be Joshua's excuse for the forming drops of water in his eyes.

"I just… I just wanted… wh… wh-why him?!"

Neku blinked at the question, startled enough to not reprimand Joshua for not addressing him properly. "…Explain yourself, pet," he said finally, slightly loosening his grip on the boy's hair.

The Composer whimpered a little as he shut his eyes, feeling his body begin to shake subtly. He didn't want to say, but he knew that if he didn't, he'd be hit again, so he gulped down the lump in his throat and spoke softly, as though hoping his Master wouldn't hear.

"Y… you didn't… you didn't call… text… _anything_… f-for a-almost a… a week…" He hiccupped suddenly. Why? He didn't know, but it didn't matter. "I… I we… went to s… to see you… _hic_… but you… you… you were w-with… with…"

"…are you saying… you were _jealous_?"

Josh froze and he gasped sharply in alarm. "N-no! N-no I-I was j-just… I…"

"Yoshiya…" Neku murmured, suddenly relinquishing his hold on the silverette's hair and simply running his fingers through the silvery strands. "Tell me, honestly, were you jealous of Akataiyo Jin?"

"I… I…" The gentle gesture seemed to strike even harder than the hits with the paddle. His Master should've been angry… he had every _right_ to be angry, and yet he was merely stroking his hair and speaking calmly to him. "…ye… yes, Master…" he choked out, amidst the wave of tears that steadily rolled down his cheeks. "I-I'm s-sorry…"

"Ssshh…" the Kyuubi shushed him, briefly kissing him to his temple. "It's okay, ssshh… just take a deep breath, go on… good… breathe out… in… out… in… good boy…"

Joshua whimpered and hiccupped briefly, before he was able to calm himself somewhat. And this was rewarded with a gentle stroke through his hair.

"Yoshiya, do you remember what I told you before?" Neku suddenly asked, and Joshua blinked, unsure, before he slowly shook his head. "Until I say otherwise… your body belongs to me. Remember?"

"…! Y… yes, Master…"

"Good. Now why did you think that I would I choose someone like Jin over you?" his Master asked, softly, whilst running his hand along the muscles in the silverette's neck.

"I… I-I don't know… I just… I-I thought… ma-maybe… because he's… he's… d… different…"

Joshua immediately clenched his eyes shut, as though expecting to be hit for saying that, but all he received was a soft touch to his cheek.

"Silly, silly Composer…" Neku murmured, placing a soft kiss to his temple. "I wouldn't dream of trading you in… for anyone." Another kiss, on the tip of his nose now. "Never."

And then his Master's mouth was on his own and he moaned out, as the redhead pulled him closer, almost hard enough to bruise as his inhumanly long tongue swirled around the silverette's mouth.

After several long minutes, Neku finally moved away, and placed his forehead to Joshua's. "Unfortunately… I _do_ have to punish you… because you _did_ lie to me… understand?"

"Y-yes… Master…" Joshua whimpered. He had already expected that, and he knew what was waiting.

"Ten strikes… that should be more than enough…" Neku murmured, almost to himself as he walked around the boy. "Keep count, pet…"

Joshua bit his lip to suppress a whimper. "Ye-yes, Master…"

Neku said nothing else, before he brought up the paddle again.

_**SMACK**_

"_Guh!_ I-i-ichi…"

_**SMACK**_

"N-nii…"

_**SMACK**_

"S-san…"

_**SMACK**_

"Y-yon…"

Neku allowed an icy smirk as he took a small item from one of his tails, walking closer even as he lashed out.

_**SMACK**_

"G-gooo_aaaaahh!_" Joshua wailed as Neku pushed the egg-shaped vibrator into him, slow and steady, his finger pushing it as deeply as he could without the string being lost as well. "M-Ma-Master!"

"Keep counting…" Neku warned, still smirking as he pulled his finger out and plucked the remote from his tail… and then he turned it on.

Joshua howled as the object began to buzz and vibrate, sending a rush of pleasure shooting up his spine and then down again to his cock. He wailed and whimpered as his body wriggled instinctively to try and remove the foreign object, with no luck, given how far in it had been pushed. "Ma-Master pl-please! Pl-please t-take it out _please!_"

"Hmm… no, I don't think so," Neku crooned softly, pressing down on the "+" button, setting the number on its display to 2 and making Joshua cry out as the vibrator picked up speed. "Remember; keep counting or you'll have to start over."

_**SMACK**_

"_Aaaaah!_ R-r-r-rok-k-k-ku_uuuuuh!_ Oh _god!_" Joshua wailed as the speed picked up _again_. "Nrgh…! _Ah… ah… hah… hah… _M-Master!"

Neku only chuckled as he pressed the button again, setting the speed to 4, and lashed out.

_**SMACK**_

"Ngggghh! N-n-na… n-na_aaahhh…!_ Nnnn-!" the Composer whimpered as he bit his lip in an attempt to focus on something–_anything_–other than the pleasure that ripped through him as the vibrations grew more and more intense with every hit.

_**SMACK**_

"_Aaghaaaaahh!_ Ha-ha-hach-_chiiiii!_ Ma… Mas… t-ter…!"

Speed - 8.

_**SMACK**_

"K-ky-kyuu…!" he choked out, trying to keep his breathing steady, but that was easier said than done.

Neku only allowed his smirk to shift into a grin, before he upped the speed to its max level, drawing a loud wail from Joshua. The Composer was now visibly shaking and struggling against his restraints, which, of course, amounted to nothing in the end. The Proxy chuckled, licking his lips briefly, before he reached around and dragged one of his fingers along Joshua's neglected erection, making him whimper pathetically. And then he curled his fingers around it and squeezed at the same time as he lashed out.

_**SMACK**_

And that was too much for Joshua as he released a scream and every muscle in his body tensed from the rush of desire that coursed through his veins. He was so lost in the pleasure, in fact, that he forgot something very important…

"Yoshiya…" Neku crooned softly from behind him.

Joshua blinked once, briefly tilting his head, unsure, and all he managed to get out was: "H-huh…?"

"What number were we at?"

'Nu… number…? …! Oh no… What… what number did I… 9? Or… no wait… 8…? …oh god I… I don't know!'

"I… I… I do… I don't… I don't remember… Master…" he admitted slowly, fearfully.

"You don't, huh?" Neku murmured softly, almost thoughtfully, even though he was grinning almost evilly behind Joshua's back. He sighed in what sounded like exasperation, while he was anything but. This was what Neku had been aiming for, after all. "Well… I suppose there's nothing to do about it… I _did_ warn you, so… Start over."

"Y-yes Master…"

* * *

><p>"Mmmm… I see… so you're worried about him, huh?" the chef asked as Ruka blew on his noodles before popping them in his mouth.<p>

"Is it any wonder?" Ruka asked once he had swallowed. "Twenty-five years is barely a blink to us, but it took that blink for him to change. It almost makes me wonder if he's still Kurasa or if this… 'Neku', has completely swallowed him up."

Ken hummed softly in thought, arms crossed over his chest, before he looked up to Ruka again. "I understand your concerns, but Kurasa's a big fox now. He doesn't need us looking out for him at every turn."

"Kunkai…"

"I know I know, sensitive nerves and whatnot. But really, this just means your little brother's growing up. I'm sure he'll be just fine."

"I certainly hope so…" Ruka murmured softly, almost to himself.

* * *

><p>Joshua screamed as the paddle came down again, <em>hard<em>, jostling the vibrator still shoved into his passage and buzzing like crazy. He had started over with counting at least four or five times, but every time he had somehow lost count, and now he was being hit almost continuously. And yet he couldn't tell his Master to stop, because some distant part of his brain said it was his own fault; that he should've counted better, or should've apologized properly or something.

Another cry as the paddle struck him again, but it almost sounded like a strangled moan. It hurt, it _really_ hurt, and yet the waves of pain seemed to shift into those of pleasure before they were halfway up his spine to his brain, making him cry out and whimper and beg for more.

And his Master was all too happy to comply.

But, finally, the Proxy stopped and Joshua finally had the chance to catch his breath. A sheen of sweat covered his body and he felt like his ass was on fire, even more so when Neku placed his fingers upon the abused flesh, making Joshua whine at the touch that felt almost frigid.

Neku didn't speak and instead he only smirked as he ran his fingers along the reddened flesh, delighting in how it twitched under his touch. Silently, he dropped the paddle and then crouched down, nails lightly biting down into Joshua's skin. The silverette moaned and tried to look back, though he tensed as Neku's thumbs pulls his buttocks open and the Kyuubi's hot breath ghosted over his entrance.

"A-ah! Ma-Master, w-wait… please I-I–_aaaaAAAH!_ M-Mas_teeeer!_" Joshua wailed as Neku circled the twitching pucker with his tongue, a litany of incoherent pleas slipping from his mouth and his heart rate and breathing picking up speed. But Neku didn't let Joshua relax and jabbed the wet appendage past the ring of muscle, drawing a scream from Joshua as his whole body tensed sharply.

Joshua couldn't think anymore–hell, he could barely _breathe_–as his Master's tongue slipped further and further in, lapping at his inner walls and sending jolts of pleasure along his nerves. His hands were able to find and grasp the ropes of the swing that were keeping his torso suspended in the air and he clung to them like a drowning man, needing the extra support to stay conscious from the overload of pleasure.

And then his Master's tongue pushed the vibrator that was still inside of him, pushing it squarely against his prostate, and, if it had been humanly possible, Joshua's scream would've ruptured the sound barrier. Any and all coherent thought Joshua might've had left flew right out the window and he could've cared less, as all he managed to gasp out were cries and gasps for more. The seal that the Kyuubi had placed on him wouldn't let him reach his release, making this torture almost unbearable.

"_M-Mas-Maste-__**aaaaah**__! _Please please I'm s-sorry… _**guh-aaaaahhh!**__ Please! _I'm-I'm so sorry! Pl–_nrghaaaah!_–please f-forgive me…! _Please… please! _I-I… _haaah!_ I-I… oh _**god!**_ I b-beg of y-you… _please_…"

Neku allowed a small smirk, before he managed to loop his tongue around the vibrator's line and gradually moved back, pulling out both his tongue and the blue toy. The moment it was out, Joshua gasped sharply and he shuddered for a few moments, before he slumped forward onto the swing set, whimpering and gasping.

"See now what happens when you don't pay attention, pet?" Neku purred as he ran a finger along Joshua's back. "It makes it never-ending."

Joshua whined pitifully as Neku kissed him again, and this time he tasted of something that the silverette realized had to be himself, making his body shiver visibly. When Neku moved back again, he choked out softly: "I… I'm so sorry, Master… so sorry…"

"Ssshh, it's alright now," Neku murmured, moving his hand along the bound Composer's arm. "C'mon… let's get you down, ne?"

The ashen haired boy whimpered as Neku unclipped the restraints on both his hands and feet simultaneously by using his tails, before two of said limbs eased him off he swing and onto the floor – where his buckled under his own weight and he dropped down onto his knees with a whimper.

"Hm… may've overdone it a little…" Neku murmured softly, as though to himself, even as he took the leash that one of his tails had picked up. After winding it around his hand once, he lightly tugged on the chain, pulling Joshua forward onto all fours with a startled yip. "Oh you can't possibly think I'm done with you _already_, did you, _Yo~shi~ya_?"

His only response was a breathless gasp, followed by a tremor that Neku could see along the boy's back.

"Come, pet," Neku purred out, giving another light tug as he started to walk, making Joshua gasp and scramble along the ground on shaky limbs.

The silverette made nary a sound as he was guided along, no doubt knowing what could happen if he refused/failed to obey. It was only a short way, and Neku wordlessly settled on the bed, watching Joshua as he placed one leg along the other, who now kneeled before him with his head down.

"Now then, my pet," Neku spoke, his voice heavy with barely contained lust, and he saw Joshua shiver again in response, "since you've been such a good boy, I'll let you decide your reward. But only this once. Do you understand?"

Joshua almost, _almost_, gasped, but he was able to keep himself in (barely). He did have to swallow, twice, to be able to work his voice. "Y-yes Master… I-I understand…"

The Kyuubi allowed a small smirk as he reached over and tilted Joshua's face up with only his nail. "So… tell me…" he murmured softly, eyes dark and hooded, "what is it you want?"

Joshua almost opened his mouth immediately, but he stopped himself just before he could. It wasn't until that specific point that he realized there was a lot he could ask for from the Kyuubi, but now that the opportunity was there… he just didn't know what he should ask for.

However, his mouth seemed to come up with an idea ahead of his head, as he took a deep breath and spoke, carefully, as though he was asking for something impossible…

"I… M-Master… please… l-let me please you…"

"…what?" Neku blinked, almost curiously, and he actually tilted his head to the side slightly.

Neku's nail under his chin prevented him from turning his head away, but Joshua did avert his eyes, his cheeks tinting a light cherry color. "M… Master is… a-always… taking c-care of me… I… ju-just o-once I… I want to…" he started, before he gulped and shut his eyes, "to… to p-please you… Master…"

"…"

The silence that followed filled Joshua with a sense of unease, and he realized (too late) that he might've spoken out of turn, and this caused his body to start shaking softly. "I… I'm s-sorry, M-Master… I-I just—"

"…Just this once."

Joshua's eyes opened wide in surprise, turning to face the redhead again. His expression had changed, just slightly, as though he had resigned himself to his fate.

"…Just once," Neku repeated, his expression unchanging.

It took Joshua almost a full minute to comprehend what Neku had just said, but when he did, a small, fragile smile crossed his face. "M… Master…"

"…just… get on with it before I change my mind, Joshua…"

That sentence made Joshua pause, just briefly. His Master didn't use that name much when they were like this, and this piece of knowledge made him want to frown, but he ignored it (for now) and nodded slowly. Not just in response to the phrase, but also to himself to confirm that he was really going to do this…

And so, with shaking hands, he reached out, resting them on his Master's knees, and pulled himself up so that he could kiss Neku. It was just a soft kiss, mere contact of their lips, but to Joshua, it was deliciously sweet, and he wanted more…

He reached up and wound his arms around his Master's shoulders, pressing down a little harder and letting his tongue slide over Neku's lips, begging for entrance. The Proxy exhaled softly against Joshua's mouth, his mouth sliding open just a crack, and Joshua moaned as he let his tongue slip inside, practically hanging off of the redhead's shoulders as he let his tongue explore his Master's mouth.

"_Mmmm_… Master…" he moaned out when he broke away and began to tenderly kiss the corners of his mouth and chin, tugging a little at the material of the shirt his Master was wearing. God, it was _so_ annoying! Why wouldn't it come off!?

Why he gave a small sound of frustration, his Master actually chuckled, but he made no move to help. So Joshua pulled himself up onto the bed, straddling his Master, and tugged the _annoying_ piece of cloth up, even as he nipped and suckled along Neku's throat.

…_do-kun do-kun do-kun do-kun…_

Joshua's touch hitched for a brief moment, as he felt that heavy, vibrating pulse pushing against his lips and tongue, as a feeling came over him that made it seem almost… wrong. But when his Master hissed out when Joshua's fingers passed over his nipples, the feeling was quickly squashed as he reached out to repeat what he just did.

This time his Master moaned, and Joshua felt a sense of accomplishment, as he managed to (somehow) get the shirt off of him. He let his fingers roam, just lightly, and he was pleased with the soft responses he received from it. Gently, with just his fingertips, he pushed against Neku's shoulders, wordlessly asking him to move further back onto the bed.

And he did, scooting back and onto the bed and then laid down on his back, and Joshua followed, trying so hard not to moan in appreciation, but that was practically impossible when the taste of his Master overrode over half of his common sense. His Master tasted _so _good… he didn't know what it was, but he loved it _so_ much and made sure to take as much of it as he could.

He moved further down, lapping at the skin and then he flicked his tongue across his Master's left nipple, and his Master hissed in a breath, but remained motionless otherwise. He latched on and suckled then, and his Master actually moaned and Joshua almost smiled, but he was a little preoccupied.

As he continued to suckle, he let his hands slide down, slowly, letting his hands smooth over the fox's skin. As his hand settled on Neku's waist, Joshua switched his attention to the redhead's right nipple, making sure to give it the same treatment as its twin as his thumbs caressed the Kitsune's hipbone. His fingers then slipped around to the front and, after a bit of fumbling, he found the button…

_**It hurts…**_

…and he froze… words springing into his mind unbidden.

_**It hurt it hurts it hurts… help me…**_

For a moment, Joshua completely ceased to move, and he listened to the Kyuubi's erratic heartbeat, and he realized why it had felt wrong before…

_Fear_

Neku only touched, and only seldom allowed himself to be touched, and even those moments were guided almost entirely. No matter what, Neku was always in control… _always_…

This was the first time that Neku had _no_ control over what happened… and it was actually _scaring _him…

Joshua remained like that for a moment, hesitant and unsure, before he removed his hands from their perch and instead grasped the Kyuubi's shoulders, pulling himself up and then kissing him again. The sudden shift in attention made Neku tense, almost in alarm, but Joshua whimpered, pleadingly, and buried his fingers into the redhead's hair, trying to coax a response from his Master, _anything at all_, as he rocked his hips down.

The delicious friction drew out a moan that Joshua couldn't place properly – whether it was his own, his Master's, or a combination of both – and Neku brought up his hands then to rest them on the smaller boy's shoulders.

And slowly, his Master slid his hands down his arms and he allowed a soft whine, his hands sliding to his Master's shoulders, as he rolled his hips in a steady rhythm, which wasn't easy, mind you, and he did almost mess up a few times. He broke away after a while, and he could feel his hair starting to stick from his own sweat, but he couldn't be bothered in the slightest as he breathed out: "Ma… Master… I… I… _oh god_… M-Master… s-so g-good…"

It was so very important; to let his Master know that he was still in control, that he was still the stronger one, and, most importantly, that he could stop this whenever he wanted it to.

"Please… please Master… l-let me… _hah ah… _p-please… _please_…"

Neku looked to him through half-lidded eyes, breathing slightly harder, and finally, he shut his eyes and chuckled. "Do it then, pet," he murmured softly, dragging a finger down the boy's arm. "Show me… how much you want me."

Joshua nodded eagerly, and gradually slipped back down, but this time, his Master's hands remained upon his shoulders, lightly guiding him as he kept his hands on his Master's waist, and instead used his lips, teeth and tongue, undoing the button and tugging down the zipper slowly. Once out of the way, he moved the material aside and placed soft, open-mouthed kissed along his Master's arousal, reveling in its taste. He moaned in appreciation as he slowly slipped his Master's length in his mouth, his Master's own moan almost inaudible over his own heartbeat pounding in his ear.

As one of Neku's hands settled in his hair, he moved slowly, humming a tune he couldn't call by name and just taking everything in as he reached for the edge of the Kyuubi's pants… but in the end, he thought better of it.

Finally, the Composer pulled away and pushed himself up to his knees, gasping for breath as her placed his palms on Neku's stomach, the redhead's hands settling on his waist soundlessly. Joshua looked down upon his Master one more time, before he gradually lowered himself, hissing only briefly as he was filled up completely. Neku rubbed his thumbs along his hipbone, and when Joshua looked up, a small smirk played on the redhead's face as he whispered:

"_Ride me, pet._"

Unable to refuse, Joshua nodded with a small whine and shut his eyes, doing exactly as his Master ordered, slowly at first, but picking up speed gradually to the point where it was almost desperate, his weight balanced almost entirely on his hands, still pressed firmly onto Neku's stomach. His motions became faster and harder, and he choked on wordless gasps as his Master tugged him forward just slightly, a cry escaping his lips as his sweet spot was struck, _hard_.

"Master… Master…!"

Neku wrapped his hand around the chain and yanked sharply just then, and Joshua gasped as he was pulled down, but Neku crushed their mouths together with the hand clutching the leash, his free hand helping Joshua in keeping the pace. Joshua's mind was hazy; he could barely think, could barely breathe, and yet he was able to obey what Neku said then (despite how it wouldn't make sense as to _why_ in any normal situation).

"Sing, Yoshiya… Sing for me…"

He couldn't refuse…

There was no way he could refuse his Master anything…

Gasping, out of breath, Joshua shut his eyes and briefly searched his mind, for a song to sing, a song that would please his Master. But he needn't look far, as an image of the moon came to him, the feeling of being together with someone he loved, trying to reach for the celestial body high above, and that feeling of security allowed him to sing to a melody he had never known until then. His voice was heavy and hazy, his hands tingled pleasantly from how long he had held up his own weight, but it mattered very little. All that mattered was his Master…

His Master…

_His Master…_

When his song ended, Neku gently kissed him, and then, as he pulled away, he whispered: "_Come for me, Yoshiya._"

Joshua wailed and then screamed as he did just he was ordered, all over his Master's chest, and yet he couldn't care as his Master groaned sharply and his own release filled him up, a sigh of contentment spilling out before he flopped down onto his Master, exhausted.

"Master… Master…" he cooed softly, as the redhead brought his arms up around his back. He let his vision fade away slowly, but before his consciousness faded entirely, he whispered out, so softly that only his Master could hear:

"Master… s…su… s'ki da…"

* * *

><p><strong>Was gonna add more… but I ran out of stuff for Neku to use…<strong>

**As for the song Joshua sang… I have the Japanese lyrics, but no English translation, so I won't put it in just yet, but the song is called "stainless moon" (yes, no capitals), and is sung by Kamui Gakupo (I'm a Vocaloid fan, so sue me).**

**And I think everyone who knows a little bit of Japanese _knows_ what Joshua said at the end.**


	16. Stage 16 The Guide

_**Wishes**_

_**Stage 16 - The Guide**_

* * *

><p>Joshua was used to time passing in the blink of an eye to him. He was used to blinking once and finding that a few years had passed. As it was now, though, it was only a few weeks. However, he couldn't say they had all passed by like a blur.<p>

He still remembered the day after their… "experiment", as Neku had called it, and he remembered that he had _never_ been so embarrassed in his whole life. And of course, Neku wasn't the _least_ bit affected by it. Though Joshua had been a little surprised to hear something about the collar…

* * *

><p>"<em>Huh… looks like Niisama used Imprinting on this thing…" Neku mumbled as he lay on his back, holding the collar between his fingers above his head where he lay.<em>

"…_Imprinting?" Joshua asked slowly, watching the redhead beside him with a mix of embarrassment and curiosity on his face._

"_Guess so…" the redhead said softly. "Hmm… guess that explains why Kamui never had problems with that,"_

"…_what does Kamui have to… ! W-wait… you mean…!"_

"_What? Not my fault Kamui gets himself in trouble every time…" Neku mumbled, as though it was nothing new. The redhead sighed softly, and then tossed the collar aside, where it was snagged in midair by one of his tails to be put away. "Well whatever…" he said then, and promptly rolled over and pulled Joshua up against him, making the ashen haired boy gasp. "Deal with it later…" he grumbled, his eyes already shut. "Too late to bother with this…"_

"_Um… uh N-Neku…?"_

"_Shuddap…"_

_Joshua snapped his jaw shut and fell silent, his ear pressed up against the Kyuubi's chest._

…_**do-kun… do-kun… do-kun… do-kun…**_

* * *

><p>Joshua sighed softly as he sat, leaning back against the headboard of his own bed. Thinking about it now, it made sense… Ruka <em>did<em> seem to be the type to be very controlling. Well, when he was angry, at least. And it would explain why Kamui was constantly so fearful of the silver-haired Kyuubi, and Neku, too, he supposed…

But that hadn't been as embarrassing as what Joshua had said shortly after…

* * *

><p>"…<em>Neku…?"<em>

"…_wha part of shuddap dun ya get…?"_

_Joshua smiled softly at the slight slur, before he sobered. "Neku… stay?"_

"…_huh?"_

_Joshua had half a mind to repeat **exactly** what Neku had just said, questioning himself what the hell he was even saying. However, as it had already done the rest of the night, his mouth moved before his mind had the chance to catch up._

"_When your… when your 'job'… is over… will you stay?"_

"…"

_The lack of response made Joshua anxious, though whatever for, he wasn't sure. He almost wanted to ask again, afraid that Neku might've fallen asleep, but…_

"…_Why do you want me to stay?"_

_Why indeed?_

"…_I… I don't know…" he admitted, not daring to look up. What had possessed him to ask that? He **knew** that there was no way Neku would stay… but… he just felt like he needed to ask. "Just… I want you to stay… with me…"_

"…_Joshua…"_

"…_please…"_

"…" _Neku sighed, softly, and wordlessly coiled his tails around the Composer. "…you know I can't, Composer…"_

"…_I know…"_

_He knew, but he still asked. He didn't understand why, but… he still wanted him to stay._

_So, he wrapped his arms around Neku and shut his eyes. "…sorry… just… forget it…"_

"…_Josh…"_

"_Just… stay… until morning… please…"_

"…_alright…" Neku murmured, resting one hand in his silvery hair. "…oyasumi…"_

"…_oyasumi…"_

* * *

><p>Neku had kept his promise. He had stayed with him the whole night, until morning. They hadn't spoken of what they had done the day prior, as they never did, but, for some reason, Joshua couldn't let it go like he usually had. He didn't say anything of it, though, and neither did Neku.<p>

But afterwards, things became… different.

Neku didn't call him out as often as he did before anymore, and instead, Joshua sought him out by the end of a day. Sometimes nothing happened, and sometimes something did happen, but Joshua had no idea what triggered it. The strangest thing was that Neku seemed almost, well, empty whenever they were alone. He'd be sitting around listlessly, just staring out the window and seeming to see things only he could see, and barely responded to anything. It had started out as a light thing, but it had gradually begun to escalate, until Joshua could barely get any type of response from him.

The only time he showed anything now was when they were together… well, "intimately", he supposed was the word for it, which was urging him to repeat those few precious moments where Neku actually _looked_ at him.

Joshua sighed, snapping himself out of his own thoughts, and looked outside through the window. He was supposed to meet everyone by Hachiko, since they were going to some sort of concert that Rhyme apparently won tickets to. Honestly, he wasn't feeling up to it, but Neku had called him with the invite, and he hadn't dared to say no. Who really knew what he'd do if Josh didn't show up despite how he had barely done much of anything as of late.

He sighed, and stood up. "Well… I may as well go face the music…" he said with a small, mirthless chuckle as he walked out, passing the alarm clock on his bedside table…

Just as the clock struck 11:15 AM on the 2nd of November…

* * *

><p>"Almost thought you weren't going to show," Neku chuckled as Joshua walked over.<p>

"Hihi. Wouldn't dream of it," the silverette quipped cheekily, twirling a lock of hair. "Others not here yet?"

"Ah, give 'm a bit," the redhead chuckled out.

"YOOOOOO!"

Upon hearing that shout, both Neku and Joshua allowed a smirk. "Speak of the devil…"

Beat and Rhyme weaved their way through the mass of people and were upon the two boys in a matter of moments. Beat and Neku knocked their wrists together in greeting, while Rhyme gave a chipper "Ohayo!" Shiki came next, with her trusty Mr. Mew, of course, and Eri arrived only five minutes after, and she started her ring of greetings by kissing her girlfriend right on the mouth, getting a few mock wolf-whistles from Neku and Beat, while Rhyme and Joshua giggled. And last but not least was Jin, who didn't look any different than normal, which wasn't even so surprising. Of course, he remained silent as the others said hello, but he did give Rhyme a quick kiss before Beat could attempt to thwart him.

They remained talking for only a little bit, before they started for Dogenzaka, planning to grab a bite to eat before they headed for A-East.

As they walked, though, Joshua watched Neku closely. Maybe he was seeing things, but the redhead seemed almost… apprehensive. As though he knew something no one else did, and it was something he didn't like. Soon enough, they were walking at the back, and Joshua dared to ask.

"Something wrong there, dear?"

No response. Meaning that it was definitely not pleasant.

"…remember what I said before?" Neku suddenly asked lowly.

"Hm? About what?" he asked in return.

"…what happens when you try to save a life."

Joshua blinked once, unsure for a moment, but then _it_ happened…

* * *

><p>A girl's cry made them all look up, just in time to see a little girl, possibly no older than 5, maybe 6, chasing after a ball as it bounced onto the road… just as the lights turned red.<p>

The cars got green, and a truck, which hadn't seen the girl, hit the gas…

The girl caught her ball and laughed happily at having secured her ball…

No one of the group had the chance or time to shout in warning, either to the girl or to the driver… for the girl wouldn't be able to react in time, and the driver wouldn't hear them…

Jin moved before anyone could say or move and ran toward the girl without a word spoken…

The girl looked up, confused, as Jin grabbed her under her small arms and then turned and threw her toward the others, out of the truck's path…

Neku quickly darted forward and caught the girl before she could fall…

Jin tried to jump out of the path as well… but he didn't have enough speed or time…

The truck's grill slammed into him and his body of flesh and bone was no match for its iron exterior…

There was a sickening crack… then a crunch… then a screech as the truck tried to lessen the impact… but too late…

A scream followed the collision as Jin's body was catapulted through the air to land several meters further away onto the cold pavement…

Another crunch as first his shoulder and then his head collided with the asphalt…

Jin's cap hit the ground a few seconds later, right in the forming puddle of its owner's blood…

* * *

><p>Joshua only stared at the sight as all around him people screamed and shouted for someone to call an ambulance, having only eyes for Jin's motionless body. The brunette's eyes were still open, but they were half-lidded and glassy, unseeing as blood rolled out from the corner of his mouth and from the gash in his side. The girl that Jin had thrown their way was deathly silent, shaking in Neku's grasp as she stared at the body that could've been her, her fingers clutching the ball that had inavertedly caused the accident to happen tightly to stop her trembling.<p>

_**If you save one life… you'll kill another instead… For each life you save, another innocent will be killed…**_

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-WHAT THE HELL?!" Beat shouted out once the majority of his shock and speechlessness had been sucked away. "Wh-why did that just—?! DUDE! No way!"

Rhyme couldn't even get a word out, her entire complexion pale as a sheet as she had her hands clasped over her mouth in horror, staring listlessly as more and more people came out to see the accident that had just transpired. Shiki and Eri couldn't move an inch; they could only stare in shock as Jin's blood continued to pool out onto the asphalt, his cap soaking it up and turning a deep black because of it.

Joshua briefly shut his eyes and tuned his senses in to Jin's own Music and droning out everything else.

Jin's Music was fast and frantic, meaning he was alive, but he certainly wouldn't be for long if nothing was done. With every drop of blood leaving him, his Music would begin to lose stability until it simply shattered and fell silent. Usually, dying people who were involved in accidents would struggle to keep their Music in one piece… but Jin wasn't even trying.

He was just… letting it come.

By the time that the ambulance arrived, his Music was already on its last strings.

"…You see now, right?" Neku said suddenly, making Joshua look over. The redhead had a silent, forlorn look on his face, but his eyes were solemn and distant. "If you wish to save an innocent life… another will be killed in place of the one you saved… And more often than not… that life will be your own…"

Joshua couldn't say anything in return, and instead turned back to face Jin's body as the paramedics lifted him onto the stretcher cautiously. His eyes, however, remained staring ahead of him, empty and ever unseeing… until they slipped closed as his Music ended with a quiet discord, just as he was placed into the ambulance.

* * *

><p>"…how did you know?" Joshua asked quietly as they sat along the edge of the 104 building.<p>

They had abandoned going to the concert after the accident, and had waited for several long hours before anyone cared to inform them that Jin had died on the way to the hospital. They had only lingered for a few more minutes after before they had all split up.

"…that he would die today?" Neku asked slowly, and Joshua nodded. "…I heard it." He waited a few more moments before clarifying. "I don't know why, or how, but I've always been able to 'hear' a person's approaching death. With some people, I hear it sooner than others, but…"

"…I see…"

They fell into silence for a while after, neither really knowing what else there was to say.

After several long moments, though, Neku asked: "Is he playing?"

Joshua considered if he should answer truthfully to that or if he should lie, but he had a feeling Neku would know if he lied. So in the end, he nodded. "I asked him to play, and he agreed. …Were you the one who's been teaching him?"

"He asked, I answered."

"Ah."

Silence.

The pair just remained where they were, leaning against the ledge and staring blankly ahead, their sides almost touching with how close they were sitting, but neither of the two spoke about it. They had been up on the roof for so long, the sun had begun to set, and the first stars appeared above them, though the lights of Shibuya chased them away almost entirely.

As the sun completely disappeared, they shifted until they were laying upon the roof, staring up to the heavens wordlessly. The few stars that were visible did only so little to distract Joshua, though, and he found his attention being drawn by the Kyuubi lying next to him.

_I'll probably be leaving Shibuya behind._

"…Neku…?"

"…yeah?"

Joshua tried to work his mouth, but found that he couldn't do it. Whatever he had intended to say, it wasn't coming to him. Which was why he chose a different approach.

With a small sigh, he rolled over so that he could lean over the Kitsune and look him right in the eyes, and Neku silently let him. For a long time, they just stared silently, before Joshua moved in and connected their mouths together, resting his weight almost entirely on his forearms. Neku didn't even attempt to move away, and instead brought up his hands to rest them upon Joshua's sides, slipping up along his back to his shoulders.

Joshua refused to pull away for at least a good few minutes, breathing through his nose to regulate his breath, and even when he pulled away, it was only for a moment to readjust and breathe before he dove right back in. Whatever for, he didn't even know, but he couldn't find it in himself to stop.

He breathed the fox's name, finally daring to rest his body weight upon the redhead's, but not enough to make it seem like he was trying to pin him. And all the time, he remained watchful of Neku's heartbeat. It pounded against his palm, faster than normal, but nowhere near as erratic as before. Yet it was also a sign; he had to tread carefully, for this was new not just for him but also to the Kitsune, and for the redhead, it had to be absolutely frightening.

Slowly, he pulled away, and whispered: "Stay…"

"…we… discussed this already…" Neku got out, but he shook his head quickly.

"Just this week…" Joshua breathed. "Until the week ends… stay… please…"

Their mouths were only an inch away from each other, and they were staring each other down with half-lidded eyes, one pair pleading, the other almost unsure. But finally, Neku let his eyes slide shut and he released a soft breath, as though in resignation.

"This… could be the last time…"

So Neku knew that Joshua was planning on making Jin his Conductor... Somehow that didn't surprise him as much as it should've.

"Yeah…"

"…I thought you'd be happy… seeing me gone…"

'Yeah… funny how that works…' Joshua thought to himself. Two months ago, he would've been thrilled at the prospect of seeing Neku gone. Now… he wouldn't dream of seeing him leave.

"I… I thought so, too… but…"

He placed his forehead to Neku's, letting his own eyes slide shut. Silently, he remained where he was, breathing softly in time with Neku, their hot breaths mingling.

"…Stockholm Syndrome…"

"…huh?"

"…that's what you humans call this type of situation… right?"

Stockholm Syndrome… an occurrence where one comes to care about the person who has tormented them, whether it was physically or mentally. Something that appeared to have struck Joshua as well…

"…yeah…"

Silence followed for a long moment in which Joshua and Neku merely remained as they were, both of them lost in thought about one thing or another. As the silence continued, Joshua carefully reached for one of Neku's hands and linked their hands together softly.

"…what happens after…?"

"…when you have a Conductor again?"

"…yeah…"

Neku didn't respond immediately, but finally, he lightly squeezed Joshua's hand, before he whispered: "I'll be leaving Shibuya behind…"

"…and… what happens to… to 'Sakuraba Neku' then… Kurasa?"

That was who he really was, after all; the _real_ Sakuraba Neku had been stillborn, and the Kyuubi no Kitsune known as Kurasa had merely taken on his body as his own so as to watch Joshua as he struggled with Shibuya's ever growing corruption. His body was that of Sakuraba Neku… but his soul was that of a powerful daiyoukai called 'Kurasa'.

"…Sakuraba Neku… will steadily cease to exist…"

Joshua's grip tightened briefly, and he almost gasped as a stab of pain ripped through him. He ignored it in favor of asking the questions he both feared and needed answers to.

"…isn't that… cruel?"

"…in a way…"

Joshua remained quiet then, unable to form any words around the chunk that was now lodged in his throat. The Kitsune remained equally quiet, one hand still placed along Joshua's shoulders, the thumb moving in small circles along his shoulder blade.

"…I don't want you to go…" the Composer managed to whisper out then, as he moved to hide his face in the fox's neck.

"…I don't have a choice, Composer…" the Kitsune murmured softly.

"…I know…"

He knew… he _knew_… and yet he couldn't help it… yeah… Stockholm Syndrome at its finest…

"…stay…? Just for the week…?"

"…just this week…"

Joshua nodded slowly, gently squeezing Neku's hand. He held on tight, as though this would prevent him from leaving, even though he knew it wouldn't. As he lay there, however, he couldn't help himself as his body seemed to be instinctively responding to the daiyoukai.

"…Neku…" he whispered out, shifting his head to slowly kiss the redhead's throat, making Neku gasp softly. "…I… I want you… I want you… _so much_… please… please…"

"…J-Joshua…"

"Please… just… I don't… please… _please_…"

His heart was pounding, but Joshua wasn't certain if it was out of fear or lust, but he was hoping for the latter, as Neku raked those long nails down his back, making him whine wantonly. A litany of pleas rolled off his lips, and he pressed down slightly harder onto the fox, pleased at hearing a soft groan from the redhead's mouth. And then he whined as Neku nipped on his earlobe and all along his own throat.

"…not here."

Joshua could only nod as he was easily lifted up from the ground, held up in Neku's arms, and he whined as their cocks ground together, wrapping his legs around the Kyuubi's waist and whispering his name. He didn't even notice when Neku snapped his fingers and summoned a portal of darkness that he stepped through, taking them away from 104 and into the dark room that they had been to so many times before.

He was lowered onto the bed, and he whined as Neku joined him, locking their mouths together again. Neku's hands slipped Joshua's shirt off slowly, which made him break the kiss briefly to toss the garment aside, and also allowed Joshua to feebly tug at Neku's shirt.

When they were both shirtless, Neku moved in to kiss the Composer again, and as their chests pressed together firmly, Joshua couldn't help but whine. He moaned out the redhead's name amidst their kiss, with his hands placed along the other's shoulders, pulling him as close as he could manage. But just then, Neku moved and they were suddenly on their sides, though still as close together as before.

"Neku…?" he breathed out when the Kitsune pulled away, only to groan as the redhead attacked his neck and throat.

"…I can't stand… being touched…" Neku murmured, so softly that Joshua had to strain to hear it. "…but… maybe… I… if I…"

A small smile played on Joshua's face as he understood. He moved his head down and began to copy what Neku was doing to him, but softer, more gently, than Neku, who almost seemed ready to rip the very skin off his neck. When Neku's hands moved along his arms, he let his hands do the same, though his touch remained ever gentle, though a little unsure, the opposite of the fox's powerful touch that almost burned him.

"…I… I don't… know what I'm doing…" Joshua admitted slowly, whining softly when Neku dragged his elongated nails along the Composer's back before he tried to copy it as best as he could. "…t-teach me…?"

"…no…" Neku mumbled softly, but before Joshua could complain, he moved forward and lightly bit down on the silverette's earlobe. "Follow my lead."

Joshua couldn't help himself; he smiled as he lightly nipped on the other's ear, as he murmured, a soft, gentle mockery of their time in the Game;

"Screw that."

* * *

><p>The next week came and went at a leisurely pace, but to Joshua, it all went by too fast. He went to see Neku every day once the Game had concluded for the day, and the Kitsune would always welcome him into his arms every night. Joshua would watch Jin's progress throughout the Game, but by the end of the day, when he stepped into the little apartment, it would all soon be forgotten. Sometimes they talked about Jin, of course, but sometimes, they never got to talking at all.<p>

One thing he had been able to let slip, however, was that the Officer he had appointed as Game Master for this run was the very same who had, long ago, erased Jin's parents when they had played, but really, it wasn't all _that_ important to him. He lost interest in his own words soon after, and Neku didn't seem to have been all that interested either.

Sometimes nothing would happen, but sometimes they would make out, first on the couch, before moving to the bedroom to continue. And every day when they did, Neku would try to push himself a little further, but he would instinctively pull back at the last second, and Joshua still wasn't sure what to do on his own, so he'd relinquish control and let Neku do whatever he wanted.

Joshua sighed softly.

Today was Day 7 of the Reaper's Game. Meaning it was time to see if Jin could succeed where his parents had failed; defeat the Game Master.

Jin and his Partner weren't exactly what you could call "friends", but they trusted each other with their (after)lives, and they had been able to best every mission thrown at them, where all the others had soon succumbed to the weight of the Game and were soon erased. Jin and his Partner were the only ones left to fight the Game Master. Meaning if they failed, it would be a draw with no decisive victor.

And so, Joshua waited and watched as the pair rushed from the Scramble Crossing all the way to Miyashita, taking out every Reaper that stood in their way and never really stopping for long. He merely watched as the pair of Players finally reached the final hurdle that was stopping them from winning; the Game Master.

"Show me, then, Jin-kun…" he murmured to himself. "Show me… if you have the strength to become my Conductor…"

* * *

><p>Neku watched the world outside his window for a long time, wondering to himself how things would go from here on out. He knew Jin was good, especially since he was a Borderwalker, but you never knew with life. It'd always find a loophole somewhere to exploit…<p>

"_Gimme all your loooove  
>Gimme all your loooove<em>"

Neku froze. He had set _that_ song for one number only, and he'd hoped he'd not have to hear it while he was there. Nevertheless, he picked up (slowly) and answered: "Kurasa…"

And then he fell silent, merely listening, and occasionally answering.

"Yes sir. I'm almost done. … No sir. Shibuya is no longer corrupt. … With all due respect, sir, he should have never been appointed Composer so early. … Sir, it would have been the same had you given a child control over a carriage. … I understand, sir, but I see no reason to do so. … No sir. I wouldn't dream of it."

He moved away from the window to sit on the couch, acting casual, while in truth, all his muscles were drawn taut like a bowstring. He listened wordlessly, repressing the urge to reach for his bangs to turn them between his fingers or to bite his thumb nail (two nervous habits he had yet to grow out of).

"…Sir, I don't see why–… Well… yes, but that doesn't mean–… I'm just saying that–… I understand that, but I–… No, I wasn't implying–… No, sir. … Yes sir…"

Neku held his head, resisting the growing urge to either groan in annoyance or whine softly in worry. This conversation wasn't turning out pretty, and it could only get worse and worse, he knew.

"Sir, I understand the need to–… I'm not saying he doesn't _deserve_ it, sir! I'm merely saying–… I know, sir, I just–… Sir! _Please!_ Just… just give me some more time! At least until tomorrow. Please… … Twenty-four hours is plenty, sir. Thank you. … I understand, sir. … Yes sir. … Will do. Kurasa out."

With one firm, resolute push of the button, Neku groaned and dropped his head down on his knees. "Damn it… damn it all straight to hell and back…" he mumbled to himself.

"Master…?"

"Are you alright, Master?"

Neku blinked and looked up curiously. "…Oh. Ichi… Hachi… you heard, huh?"

The pair of doubles slowly nodded, before they moved to plop down on their knees in front of the Kitsune out of respect. They sat in silence for a while, before Hachi spoke up first. "Those were the Higher-ups… right?"

"Yeah…" Neku murmured, leaning back and rubbing his temples. "I knew this was coming… doesn't mean I'm gonna like it, though…" After a moment more, he sighed. "…how'm I supposed to tell the Composer 'bout this…?"

Ichi frowned a little, looking down to the ground in thought, before he shut his eyes. "…Quickly, Master," he said solemnly, drawing Hachi's gaze to him. "He will learn one way or another… it would be better to just be honest to him. …I believe so, at least…"

"…Yeah…you're right…" Neku mumbled, sighing heavily. "One way or another… it'll end either in blood or in tears… and while I don't like either option… I think the latter is the better choice."

Both Dolls nodded slowly in acknowledgement. They had nothing to add, but no objections, either. Silence befell the apartment for a few long minutes, before Hachi chose to speak again.

"Master… about tonight… what… what do you wish to do?"

"…Good question…" Neku murmured. "…Tonight… might be the last time…" He paused, leaning his chin on his knuckles, and then he sighed. "Shit… I'm pathetic, huh?"

Neither of the Dolls responded to those words, appearing almost lost in their thoughts, before Ichi suddenly frowned.

"…Master… I… may have an idea…"

"…Hm?"

* * *

><p>They wiped the floor with the Game Master.<p>

That was the only description that fit how the pair of Players took out this Week's Game Master – Nanbu Kishiogi.

And now, they were brought forth to the Room of Reckoning, where Joshua would be forced to deliver his final verdict. Jin already knew, of course, that only one of them would be allowed to go back to the RG. The question now, however, was which one of them would return home…

Jin was the first of the pair to regain consciousness, and he blinked only once, before he placed his hands in his pockets and glanced around the room. His Partner took a few moments longer, and when she had regained her senses, Jin asked her simply, without looking her way: "…You awake?"

The girl nodded, before she frowned. "Yeah, but where are we?"

"…this is probably the Room of Reckoning."

"What do you mean by that?"

Joshua allowed a smirk and decided it was time to make his presence known to them. "_Very good, Jin-kun,_" he said, his voice automatically switching to its 'omnipotent' tone, which made the pair look over to him. "_I almost forgot you're a little more informed than most._"

Jin looked up disinterestedly, while the girl—Shixona, as the brunette was called—looked at him cautiously. "Who are you?" she asked him.

Jin, however…

"…You got a problem with that, Composer?"

"Composer?!"

Joshua giggled in response to Shixona's startled gasp of his title. He wasn't surprised by her reaction; he'd seen it plenty of times before. "_Oh no, I have no problems with that whatsoever, Jin-kun. However… did you care enough to inform your dear Partner about the ending, hm?_"

He hadn't; Joshua already knew that Jin had never mentioned to Shixona that only one of them would be given a second chance. Which was confirmed when she asked: "What do you mean?"

"…does it matter?" Jin said solemnly. "We're the last Players who were playing and I've already decided what I intend to do, anyway…"

"_Hmmm… really now, Jin-kun?_"

"…Would I say so otherwise?"

"_Hihi. I suppose you wouldn't._"

Of course, it wasn't strange that Shixona got fed up with their 'mysterious' exchange, and eventually she demanded: "What's going _on_?!"

"_Oh, it's very simple, Shixona-chan…_" the Composer said casually. He knew that Jin wouldn't explain it to her, so he decided to just go ahead and do it in his stead. "_The number of Players being returned to life… is 1._"

"What?!" she yelped.

"…That's how it is," Jin confirmed solemnly.

And naturally, this seemed to worry Shixona greatly. "How is it decided as to who goes back?" she asked.

"…What's there to decide?" her Partner asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not going back."

"Why?!"

The question had come barely a second after Jin had told her he wasn't planning on going back, and it made Joshua chuckle, before he spoke casually. "_It seems your Partner never had the desire to receive a second chance. Quite unusual, I must say…_"

"But, Jin…why don't you want to live again?" she asked, utterly bewildered by her Partner's decision.

"…why _would_ I?" he asked in return. "And what does it matter?" Turning his head to face her, he said simply: "You should be happy you're going home."

"Yes, I should be happy, but there's more to it than that!" Shixona exclaimed. "Seriously, life is more than just a passing fancy, it's showing what you're made of, and proving that you're not some nobody who should just be passed by in the streets!"

"…and?" Jin asked once she had finished, watching her solemnly. "What's your point? You may have someone waiting for you… but there's no one like that for me. I've no reason to return, and even if I did, I've no desire to."

"But… Jin…" Shixona protested weakly.

"_Hihi. If I may…_" Joshua said finally, drawing their attention again. "_Since your Partner is unaware, Jin-kun, I'll explain what happens to those who have not won. Agreed?_"

"…Do what you must," Jin grumbled.

Joshua merely smiled and began to explain.

* * *

><p>As the week came to an end, though… there wouldn't be a single Player returning home to the RG…<p>

* * *

><p>"I know it's your first day… well, night, Jin, but I don't suppose I could leave things to you for a while, could I?" Joshua asked with his normal cheeky smirk on his face. "I have something I need to take care off."<p>

"…It's fine, sir," the brunette said solemnly, though he reached back to lightly move his black Reaper wings back, still not completely used to them, yet. They were larger than those of the average Reaper, indicating his high rank, but other than that, very little had changed about the Borderwalker. "I can manage things for the time being."

"Good to know. Oh, and feel free to have your dear Partner help out if you're having trouble, okay?" Joshua teased.

"…Sir, with all due respect, we aren't—"

"Hihi. I know, Jin. I'm only joking," Joshua laughed softly. "Well, then, good luck, Jin."

Jin merely saluted as Joshua turned and walked away with one last wave. Joshua had taken a peek at Jin's memories from his childhood before the start of the Game, and as it had turned out, the Borderwalker-turned-Conductor had actually been a soldier-in-training when he was 16, which explained why the new Reaper insisted on addressing Joshua as "sir". That must've been drilled into him so many times, that it had become part of his very personality.

The most astounding thing about Jin, however… was that he felt most comfortable in his skin when he was actually following orders. Actual praise for completing his "objective" made the brunette feel both confident and satisfied, while admonishment could turn him into whipped dog if one wasn't careful, and that wasn't something Joshua had seen an awful lot of in his life. He'd heard of such cases, but seen? Not so much.

Joshua quickly shook the matter off and sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked up to the sky, up to the full moon high above him.

"…"

* * *

><p>"<em>Kura-niichan! Don't go!"<em>

"_Joshua… let go."_

"_No!"_

"_Joshua…"_

"_Don't go! Don't leave me alone! Please!"_

"…"

"_Don't… don't go… don't you leave me, too… please no… please…"_

* * *

><p>It was a full moon then, too, Joshua remembered then, the snippets of conversation slipping into his mind unbidden. It was a full moon when Kurasa left little Joshua on the doorstep to his grandparents' house. Left the small <em>human<em> boy with his _human_ family. He remembered vaguely how he had cried and screamed and kicked and punched, saying he refused to leave Kurasa's side…

But…

Joshua sighed heavily. He wasn't sure what to think about the Kyuubi anymore. And to make matters worse, he wasn't sure just what Kurasa—Neku—thought of _him_.

What, was he just a "pet" or something? Was that all he was to him?

He resisted the urge to sigh again as he approached the Kitsune's apartment.

'Tonight could… would… be the last time…' he thought to himself, his finger hovering mere inch away from the bell. He hesitated for a long while, as though there was something horrifying waiting for him, before he pressed down firmly.

It took a while before the door was opened, but when it did, the person opening the door was not who Josh had been expecting.

"Hachi? Wasn't expecting to see you," Joshua admitted, and the silver-haired double merely tilted his head briefly, before he stepped aside to let Joshua in.

"I apologize. Master was feeling rather… what's the word?" Hachi began as Joshua took off his shoes and he closed to door. "Unwell… So he decided to lay down and rest a while. He requested Ichi and myself to look after the apartment until then."

"I see…" Joshua murmured, though he _almost_ frowned in worry at what Hachi had just said. "And where is your… 'Master' now?"

"I believe he stepped through the portal," his double confessed. "He has left it open for you."

"How nice of him," the Composer giggled. "Well… don't let me hold you up any longer," he added as he walked further into the apartment.

Hachi watched him go, before he pulled out a small strip of paper from his pocket and threw it at Joshua. The charm connected harmlessly with the silverette's back, and faded through the material, disappearing from view. '…I hope your plan works, Ichi…'

* * *

><p>Finding the portal was easy, and stepping through it was also easy. Getting used to the darkness beyond, that took a few seconds. When his eyes finally became accustomed, he soon spotted Neku's still form resting on the bed, and from this distance, he appeared to be fast asleep.<p>

Joshua allowed a small half smile as he slowly approached the slumbering Kyuubi. He was laying on his side, his hands resting beside his face, and one leg was pulled up, the other bent just a little, putting him in a half-fetal position. This made the redhead seem much more vulnerable than he no doubt was.

Quietly, he sat down on the bed, and the mattress dipped beneath his weight. He remained quiet for a long time and just watched Neku's sleeping form for what had to be minutes. He looked so relaxed, so at peace… Joshua almost didn't want to wake him…

* * *

><p>"…he hasn't noticed…" Ichi murmured, from where he lay on the bed, in the exact same position as Neku, Hachi sitting by his side.<p>

Hachi allowed himself a small smile of his own as he reached over and wiped the redhead's bangs away. "Okay, then, Ichi… I admit, that was clever…" he whispered, but then he frowned in worry. "But… are you sure Master will be…?"

Ichi slowly, almost sleepily, opened his eyes and looked to Hachi. "It'll be okay…" he whispered. "It'll be fine…"

* * *

><p>"…Joshua…" Neku murmured sleepily, after he had blinked his eyes open when Joshua had moved Neku's bangs out of his face.<p>

"Hihi, evening, dear," Joshua giggled out.

"Don't call me that…" Neku growled, and Joshua only giggled again.

However, they soon sobered up again, and they just watched each other, seeming to realize that all of this would soon be coming to an end. Joshua was absently running his fingers through Neku's hair, making sure to not accidentally touch his scalp, and Neku wordlessly let him do so. Joshua couldn't say why, but something felt almost different, though when asked about it, he wouldn't be able to respond what was different, or why.

When the urge to kiss Neku became too great, Joshua caved in and bent down to gently kiss the redhead, wishing absently for this to be alright. And when Neku kissed him back and brought up his arms so as to pull the Composer closer, Joshua sighed happily, now burying both his hands in Neku's hair. They rolled until Neku was below Joshua, and only then did Joshua move back.

"Is… are you okay? I mean–"

* * *

><p>"–if Master panics, then…" Hachi began, but Ichi reached up and placed a finger to his lips.<p>

The redhead stared him down evenly, before he murmured: "It'll be fine… just–"

* * *

><p>"–stop talking… just… stop talking…" Neku mumbled, before he moved his hand to Joshua's hair and tilted his head up, drawing Joshua into another kiss.<p>

The Composer hummed softly in confirmation to the words without breaking away, beginning to move his hands along the Kitsune's sides, paying close attention to the sounds Neku was making, just in case. But so far, all that slipped from the redhead's mouth were soft moans and whines of pleasure, urging him to keep going.

Joshua reached out and slipped his hands under Neku's shirt–

* * *

><p>–gradually moving it up. "Ichi…" he murmured as he moved to place kisses along the redhead's throat, drawing a long moan from his mouth. Hachi resisted the urge to groan as he broke away entirely to remove Ichi's shirt. "I don't–"<p>

* * *

><p>"–want to hurt you…" Joshua murmured, moving his fingers along Neku's collarbone. "We don't have to–"<p>

"Yoshiya…" Josh immediately shut his mouth in response. "…if this wasn't okay… you'd be erased by now."

The Composer blinked, before he chuckled. "Yeah… I guess so…" he whispered, before he moved to suckle along Neku's throat, making the Kitsune groan and move his head to the side. Joshua merely smiled and started to trail kisses down to Neku's chest, before he latched onto the fox's left nipple, using his hand to tease the right, which made Neku gasp briefly in surprise, just before he whined as Josh teased the nub with a flick of his tongue. This made Joshua smirk as he pulled back briefly to pull his own shirt off, before he went back to what he was doing, switching his attention to the right nub and beginning to suckle on it.

Neku's soft cries made Joshua smile, and slowly, he ran his hand along his bare side until he reached the edge of the Kitsune's loose pants. He paused there, hesitant, and glanced up briefly–

* * *

><p>–to look into Ichi's white eyes. "…Are we really doing this, Ichi…? You know what happens if…"<p>

"I know…" Ichi breathed out, even as Hachi flicked open the button of his pants. "But it's Master's wish… so we–_ah!_" The redhead choked on his words as Hachi slipped a hand inside to palm his cock. "_Ha… H-Hachi…_"

Hachi gulped softly, finding himself unable to stop now that this was really happening. His rational mind was steadily losing against his own desires, and he found that he could care less. He reached out with his free hand and–

* * *

><p>–slipped the annoying article of clothing aside. Joshua wanted this to last, not just for himself, but for Neku's sake, as well. He couldn't even begin to imagine what had to be going through his mind right about now. That was why he slowly stroked the Kyuubi's need, whining as the fox moaned out his name, over and over, before he slipped down and took his Proxy's cock in his mouth as far as he could. He moaned when Neku's hand threaded through his hair, silently urging him on.<p>

And Joshua had _no_ intention of denying him.

The Composer of Shibuya hummed as he bobbed his head up and down steadily, making sure to suck loudly whenever he lifted his head, drawing the most exquisite noises from Neku he had ever heard. He ran his hands along the redhead's thighs, tenderly moving the pads of his fingers along the skin… and there he paused, unsure.

Slowly, he pulled away, ignoring the small whine from the fox. "Neku… h-how do I… I mean…"

He knew how Neku did it, sure… but…

When Neku gave him a slow, weary smirk, Joshua was worried for a moment, before there was a tap on his shoulder. When he looked over, he was a little surprised–just a little–to see one of Neku's tails, holding out some sort of small bottle out to him.

"Use that…"

Joshua actually flushed crimson as he realized what the bottle contained, but he nodded nevertheless and lightly tugged it loose from Neku's tail. Then, slowly–

* * *

><p>–he unscrewed the lid and let some of the contents spill onto his hand. After making sure his fingers were thoroughly coated, Hachi carefully moved up one of Ichi's legs and placed his fingers at the redhead's entrance.<p>

"Ready?" he asked softly, barely a whisper.

Ichi took a few deep breaths, before he nodded once and said: "Yeah… do it."

Hachi nodded in return and slipped the first digit inside, though he paused when Ichi tensed, almost in alarm. "Ichi…?"

"I-it's okay… it's… just a little… cold… that's all…"

Hachi smiled softly, but his orange-yellow eyes still shone with concern for the other Bunshin's sake. However, he knew better than to press and instead only slipped his finger out and back in slowly, listening to the soft gasps Ichi let out and searching for any sign of discomfort, before he finally slipped in another finger. Ichi briefly tensed, but he quickly relaxed again.

'Where is it…? Dammit, why does Ichi make finding it seem so–'

But before Hachi could finish that thought–

* * *

><p>–Neku let out a sharp, startled cry as his back arched up and Joshua <em>almost <em>pulled away, thinking he'd hurt him, but the fox's tail wouldn't let him and snagged his wrist, keeping it in place. It took Neku a few seconds before he was able to find his voice again, and even then, it was almost like a whine.

"Th… there… r-right… right the… there…"

Finally understanding what had happened, Joshua smiled and moved his fingers in again, pressing down on the Kyuubi's sweet spot, making the fox cry out again as his tail began to flail about uncontrollably (which Joshua found rather amusing, though he made sure not to mention it… for now, at least). After a little more gentle prodding, Joshua slipped a third finger, turning them slowly to properly stretch him.

"_Ah… hah… _Y… Yoshi… enough… please I… _ah! _Oh Goddess above… _please!_" Neku wailed out then, and Joshua paused.

"Are you sure?"

Neku didn't speak; he merely nodded with his eyes firmly shut.

Joshua nodded, more to himself than anything, and reached for the lube again. He scooped up a small handful and coated his own cock with it, biting his lip to prevent himself from doing anything more, before he moved forward and took hold of Neku's hand. The Kyuubi still had his eyes shut, and this made Joshua frown as a thought came to him.

Neku had kept his eyes shut last time as well, and maybe _that_ had been the cause of his fear… because his body would instinctively recall the pain that came with being under someone else's control. But if that was the case, then there was only one real way to deal with that…

"Neku…" he murmured, running a hand through the fox's hair. "Neku, dear, open your eyes. Look at me…"

For once, the fox didn't react to the endearment, but he did (slowly) open his eyes, the vertical pupils dilated so far that they were almost circular.

Joshua held his gaze for a long time, before he whispered: "It's just me… kay? It's just me… I know it's probably hard… but I need you to trust me…"

He wouldn't blame Neku if he didn't trust him; in fact, he was expecting him not to. Who would, after all? With all that Joshua had done… After almost erasing Shibuya… would anyone–

"I trust you…"

Joshua blinked, and he actually stared in surprise, but Neku merely squeezed the hand that was holding his own.

"I trust you… always have… I can't forgive you, but… I never stopped trusting you…"

Immediately, Joshua knew that this wasn't the Kyuubi talking; this was solely Sakuraba Neku, his Proxy…

"Neku…"

It was all he could get out, even as he made Neku wrap his arms around his shoulders. He breathed softly for a few moments, never once breaking eye contact, as he moved in position. Neku's nails dug into his back, not enough to hurt, just to prepare himself for what he knew was coming. Joshua took one final breath, and then he _moved_.

Immediately, Neku's nails dug in harder and the fox froze up with a sharp gasp, forcing Joshua to stop, briefly. When the daiyoukai was able to relax, the Composer pressed on slowly, forcing himself to go slowly, for Neku's sake. And when he was finally seated fully inside of Neku, he stopped, gritting his teeth tightly together to keep himself from mindlessly pounding into the redhead,

Neku was… tight. Very much so. And Joshua knew that it had to be terrifying to his Proxy, had to be _painful_. That was why he refused to move, remaining where he was with Neku's nails finally breaking through the skin on his back, drawing blood.

When Neku suddenly moved, Joshua gasped sharply. "Ne-Neku…! S… stop… m-moving…! If-if you keep d-doing that–"

Neku merely smirked and, without warning, hooked his legs around Joshua's waist, drawing him close and making them both moan.

"Ne…_ guh!_ N-Neku…! Please…! I… I don't want–_aaaAHHH!_" Joshua cried out as he felt something brush down along his spine. "D-don't y-you–_oh god!_" Joshua cried out as the Kyuubi's tail was suddenly shoved inside of his own entrance, the tip flicking back and forth teasingly.

"Then move… baka…" Neku murmured softly, a small smirk still playing along his face.

Joshua couldn't possibly say no, not with the surge of pleasure that shot up along his spine just then. As he pulled out however, he moaned as the Kyuubi's tail slipped at the exact same pace. The Composer almost didn't dare, but he moved anyway, and he couldn't stop the whine that came from his throat when Neku's tail did the same thing.

"Nrgh…! _Hah… ah… ah…_ Ne… Nek… _uuu_…"

This was _so_ him… Submissive yet dominant at the same time, guiding Joshua every inch of the way. He–

* * *

><p>–moved steadily, wailing as Ichi's tail moved inside of him at the same time. Hachi couldn't even speak; all that was able to come from his mouth were soft, pathetic whimpers and quick gasps for breath. Gradually, though, Hachi began to move faster, his pace almost desperate as he moved down to connect his and Ichi's mouths.<p>

Hachi moaned out Ichi's name when they finally broke apart, balancing his weight on his forearms with his face hidden in the crook of the redhead's neck, while the other Doll groaned and clung to Hachi's shoulders as he sucked, licked and nipped on the silverette's throat.

But just then, Hachi shifted angle just a bit, at the same time as Ichi's tail, which–

* * *

><p>–caused both of them to let out respective cries of rapture, though they were mostly muffled by the other's neck. Joshua tensed a little when he felt Neku's sharp teeth digging into the juncture of his neck and shoulder, but he shook it off quickly and slammed into Neku again. This caused his Proxy to release a fever-pitched moan, and Joshua wailed as his tail struck that same spot inside of him at the same time.<p>

So lost in pleasure, Joshua didn't even notice that Neku's fangs were digging in deeper and deeper with every thrust, only _just_ not piercing the skin. But when Joshua reached out and wrapped his fingers along Neku's neglected manhood, the Kyuubi–to instinctively stop himself from yelping–bit down, breaking the skin and drawing blood.

Of course, Joshua noticed _that_, but he was too far gone to care, as he too bit down on Neku's throat, though his much shorter fangs were unable to break the skin there.

"Ne-Neku… I… I… _oh god…!_ Ne… _ku!_"

"Yo… shi… _ngrh!_ Oh Goddess…! Yoshi… _ah… hah… Ah!_ Y-Yo… shi… ya…!"

Joshua wished for it to never end, but he knew (too well) that everything had to come to an end. He wasn't sure how much longer they lasted, but when he felt his end approaching, he bit down so hard as he suppressed his shout, he actually drew blood.

The last thing he heard, was the fox's muffled whine, before they both collapsed.

* * *

><p><strong>15 pages… damn. Sorry 'bout the length, but I wanted to fit everything into one chapter.<strong>

**Two things; first of, I want to thank "_Night-the-Dragon_" for helping me with the Jin's Game Partner.**

**Secondly; I'm still working on Jin's story of his week in the Reapers' Game, and the scene with Jin, Shixona and Joshua at this point is written in advance before the end of the story is reached. Therefore, it's highly possible that it may change at one point. Not overly much, but you get the point.**

**Anyway, with that out of the way, this story's about to reach its conclusion, but I'm considering the endings… What I might do is make two separate endings, of which one will lead into a third installment. But I'm still thinking on that, so I might do it, and I might not…**

**Hmm… decisions decisions decisions…**


	17. Stage 17 The Decision

_**Wishes**_

**Fandom: **The World Ends With You (TWEWY)

**Pairing: **Neku/Joshua

**Setting: **Post-game, takes place after "Purification"

**Summary: **Joshua knew he would regret making that promise with the almighty daiyoukai, but he wasn't counting on the complications that followed it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 17 - The Decision<strong>_

"_Kurasa, listen very carefully, because this is __very__ important."_

"_Huh…? What is it, Niisama? I have to go or I will–"_

"_Yes, dear, I know. And this will only take a minute. Whatever happens out there during your missions, do __not__, under any circumstance, bite anyone in their neck."_

"…_why would I even __want__ to bite anyone **there**?"_

"_I will explain that when you get back. Just promise me you will not bite anyone there."_

"…_Very well. I promise I will not."_

"_Good. Very well then; off with you, now."_

* * *

><p>Neku silently opened his eyes again, and reached up to turn his bangs between his fingers. As he did, he looked down to the slumbering Composer, half-curled up against his side. His brother's words still echoed through his mind, even as he reached out and rubbed his neck.<p>

Or more precisely, the bite mark that Joshua had left there.

'…this wasn't supposed to happen… this was _never_ supposed to happen…'

As he ran his fingers over it, he sighed softly as he realized it was not big enough to be really noticed. It'd be well hidden under his collar if he dressed properly, which he was expected to do, of course. So no one would look up at him hiding his neck.

Joshua's, however…

Neku sighed heavily as he reached out and slowly ran his fingers along the deep bite marks along said boy's neck. They had already healed, so that was not the problem, but hiding it until the mark faded was going to be difficult. Unless he wore turtlenecks, which wouldn't even be so strange in this weather, but even so, it could prove to be difficult.

"…ah whatever…" he murmured then as he stood up, wordlessly picking Joshua up in his arms. He was a little sore, to be honest, but he could deal with that. It wasn't so far to get through the portal, so it was fine, really.

He reached his little 'garden' within a scant few moments, and he wordlessly stepped into the spring and settled on his knees while lowering the Composer into the water as well. Joshua only groaned as the warm water touched his weary body, but he did not wake. Neku shook his head with a small sigh, and proceeded to wash them both with his tails quietly. He wasn't looking forward to what would happen if anyone found out that he—

"Hey Kurasa! You busy there?!"

Neku almost jumped in alarm, until he realized he recognized the voice (and its Chinese accent). "Xian… what're you doing here?"

The blonde-haired boy in question merely grinned cheekily from where he sat under the largest cherry blossom tree. His hair looked to be about chin length, but he had a single, thin ponytail hanging down his back that ended somewhere below his ribs Neku knew. He had sharp blue eyes that shone in amusement, and he was dressed in simple Chinese-styled silken clothes. The only thing that made it obvious he was not human was the long monkey tail that rested on the ground beside him, its tip flicking back and forth in amusement.

"Heheh. I came to see you. Why else would I be here?" he asked casually.

"…I know you better than that, Xian. _Why_ are you here?"

"Geez, touchy, aren't you?" the boy chuckled out, before he stood up and jumped over across a couple of rocks positioned in the hot spring, finally perching himself on one that was about three feet away from the Kyuubi. As he did, though, his expression turned serious. "I heard what the brass demanded you do… you really gonna go through with it?"

Neku refused to look at Xian, and instead focused on what he had been doing before the blonde monkey had made his presence known. "…What kind of question is that?" he asked finally. "You know I don't have much of a choice."

"Wasn't it _you_ who said there's _always_ a choice?" Xian countered immediately, making Neku flinch sharply upon having his own words thrown back in his face. "'Those who say there's no choice…'"

"'Are just afraid to make their own decisions', I know, I know…" the redhead sighed out. "Either way, if I want this damn timer removed, I have to give them what they want."

"Even when you clearly don't want to do it?" questioned the blonde.

"…"

"Dude, if you don't want to do it, why don't you just say something like… hmm…" Xian paused for a few moments, before he grinned and stood up. He took a deep breath and then called out: "'Get off my case, douchebags!'"

"'Douchebags'? Really now, Xian?" the Kyuubi chuckled. "You know that if I called them anything but 'sir', they'd have my head."

Xian chuckled. "You kidding? You and your brothers hold the highest rank of any of them hierarchically speaking. Your grandmother'd never approve of them taking your head. She'd probably set their bums on fire."

"Or thundershock them… whichever she feels like at the moment," Neku chuckled, before he sighed and leaned back against the edge of the spring. "…Doesn't change the facts, unfortunately…"

Xian was silent for a few moments, watching the Kyuubi a little longer, before he plopped down on the rock again. "…You _did_ change…"

"Huh?" Neku blinked and looked over to Xian, who seemed to be lost in thought (not something seen very often with him).

"I spoke to Ruka earlier today… and he seemed to think you'd changed…" He paused to shake his head with a shrug. "Of course, I was skeptical… but, I have to admit, you _did_ change. The Kurasa I remember would've never given up like that when faced with something like this."

"…that so?" the redhead asked in a bored tone of voice. "Then what would the 'Kurasa you remember' do?"

"Well… why not pull a Loki, eh?"

"What does the Norse God of Mischief have to do with–…" Neku blinked, twice, before a small smirk formed on his face. "…You know what? That could actually work."

"Cool," Xian said with a full-out grin, leaning back on his arms casually. "So… see-oh-as… that's the kid you mentioned before, right?" (*)

"How did we get on that subject?"

"C'mon! Humor me for once, will ya?" Xian laughed out with a silly grin, lightly tilting his feet left and right. "Haven't seen ya in half a century. I'm allowed to ask a _few_ questions, right?"

Neku merely sighed and shake his head in exasperation. "Even if it was… what's it to you? Were you planning to steal him?"

"Nah. I doubt I could," the blonde chuckled. "You'd probably string me up by my tail if I tried."

"Yes, I would."

"Hehe. Knew it." Xian's grin shifted into a small smile, one that Neku rarely ever saw on the monkey's face, but before he could question it, he climbed back to his feet. "Anyway… I'll leave you to your own devices then. I gotta get back before Li notices I ran off."

"Again? Heh… you'll never change."

"Heheh. Maybe not. Be sure to visit later, okay?"

"If I can find the time."

"Good enough. Zai-jian! (**)"

"Ja ne."

Xian waved and then bounded off again, and Neku merely shook his head with a chuckle as the monkey boy jumped up the sakura tree. Once he had left, though, his expression sobered up.

"…I changed… huh?" he murmured softly, looking down to the slumbering Composer. "…I'm starting to think that change might've been a bad thing…"

* * *

><p>"…ke up… wake up, Composer!"<p>

Joshua groaned and turned on his side in slight annoyance. "Five more minutes, Sanae…"

There was an annoyed sigh – and then the blankets were yanked off of him.

"Gah! What the he–…Neku?" Joshua got out when he realized it wasn't the barista, but the Kyuubi no Kitsune who had just abruptly woken him. That in itself was rare, but to make the situation even stranger, the fox was dressed in his black and silver kimono. "Something wrong, dear? It isn't like you to wake me."

"Save the banter for another time, Composer," Neku said solemnly, without even batting an eye at the endearment. "I've something to discuss with you."

The expression on the redhead's face was enough indication that whatever they needed to 'discuss' was serious. _Very _serious.

Wordlessly, Joshua got up from the bed, noting he was already dressed (one of the Kyuubi's tricks, he believed), before he followed the redhead to the living room. The fox set himself down on one of the chairs, and placed his hands on his knees, his back straight and up against the back of the chair, his expression blank and seemingly uncaring. A little apprehensively, Joshua took a seat on the couch and waited for the Kyuubi to speak.

He didn't.

"…So… what is it you wished to talk about, dear?" he asked, hoping the nickname would break the tense atmosphere somehow.

But it didn't. The fox shut his eyes briefly and took in a deep breath, which he released a few moments later. And only then, did he look up to face the Composer.

"…The Higher-ups have demanded of me I finish my mission and return."

Joshua could not speak. The words had come so suddenly, they had left him completely speechless. Only after a full five minutes of staring was Joshua able to speak. "…when… when do you have to go?"

"Today."

"T-today?!"

"I was able to obtain twenty-four more hours to complete my final objective, and then I am to return." Neku's expression did not shift in the least, and his tone of voice was solemn, curt, and to the point.

"…oh…" That was all Joshua was able to get out. Another five minutes passed before he was able to ask: "What… is your last objective?"

Upon that question, Neku shut his eyes and lowered his head to rest his chin in his throat, seemingly in thought. But finally, he raised his head again and said solemnly: "To deliver the Higher-ups the head of the Fallen Angel of Shibuya… Hanekoma Sanae."

* * *

><p>"Achoo!" Sanae sniffled a bit and rubbed the back of his neck. "Huh… guess I'm coming down with something…"<p>

"…wasn't aware that could happen to Angels…" came a solemn voice from the other side of the café, and Sanae chuckled as he looked over to the Conductor in question who had spoken.

"Hey now, just coz we're not humans doesn't mean we can't get sick," the barista chuckled out, though, of course, Jin refused to respond to that as he worked silently.

Sanae merely chuckled as he set several cups on their respective shelves, just as the door opened with a merry jingle.

"Morning," called a familiar voice that made the man smile and turn around.

"Yo, Phones. How ya been, huh?" he asked as the redhead walked inside, and even Jin looked up as he did.

"I've been doing alright," the young man said with a smile before it fell and he looked around. "Josh isn't around?"

"Nah. He went out for a while. Should be back anytime, though," Sanae said with a chuckle.

"Ah. Oh well," the redhead said with a shrug as he walked over and plopped down on a seat opposite of Jin. "…busy, Jin?"

"…hm."

The redhead merely rolled his eyes with a small smirk, but as he did, he glanced over as the café's barista continued working. He immediately spotted the white, untouched envelop on the counter, sealed with a blotch of red wax. It remained where it was, and while it seemed to give off the feeling that it was important, Sanae seemed intent on ignoring it.

"…"

* * *

><p>"You… wh-what…?"<p>

Neku didn't bother to repeat what he had just said and instead waited for Joshua to regain his thoughts enough to ask the more important questions.

"But… _why?!_ What has Sanae done?!"

"…It is not really a matter about what he _has_ done, though that is also of importance, but it is more about what he has _not_ done," Neku said solemnly. "As he is the only one who outranks you as Composer, at least half of the responsibility of your Game with Kitaniji Megumi falls upon his shoulders."

"But he tried to stop me!" Joshua protested, recalling how his Producer had objected to the very idea of betting Shibuya's existence in a Game only because Joshua had believed it to be corrupt. "Doesn't that count for anything?!"

"He tried… and he gave up." Neku's voice had gone ice cold when he spoke those words, and Joshua actually shivered. "How many times did he try to stop you? How many times did he tell you to reconsider and find a different solution to fix Shibuya's corruption?"

Joshua was about to open his mouth, but he shut it almost immediately as the words made him think. How many times _had_ the barista told him he was better off finding a better solution? The longer he thought about, the more he began to realize what the Kyuubi was getting at.

"…once…" he choked out. "…just… once…"

Neku didn't even blink at the news, as though he had already known (and perhaps he actually had), and merely waited silently, as Joshua softly spoke again.

"When I… when I said I was playing a Game… with Megumi to… decide what happens to Shibuya… he said I had to stop…" he mumbled. "…I didn't listen… I told him it… was my decision… and… he… he…"

"…" Neku watched him for a moment, before he shut his eyes and reached into his kimono. "There is a second reason why…" he said as he produced a simple black notebook and placed it upon the coffee table, sliding it forward to the Composer. "It is best if you read this yourself. I have marked pages that will be of interest to you."

Joshua wasn't sure what to expect when Neku produced the small notebook, but he wordlessly picked it up from the table. He already knew that he wasn't going to like whatever was in there, but the look on the Kyuubi's face made it obvious that, whatever was in it, he _had_ to see it.

So, after taking a short breath to calm himself, he flipped open the booklet and leafed through it, until he reached what Neku referred to as the "marked pages" and began to read.

* * *

><p>"<em>As is common knowledge, all Games in the UG take place under Our supervision. However, this particular Game is saddled with a nigh-unbelievable set of extenuating circumstances, catching the attention of the Higher Plane. Thus, I shall be taking a more hands-on role this time, as detailed in this report.<em>

_The core differences in this game are as follows:_

_1: its role in plans for Shibuya's destruction,_

_2: the Composer's absence from the UG,_

_3: the resulting limitations to his powers, and_

_4: the Game being played by a proxy._"

* * *

><p>"…this… this is…" Joshua choked out softly, but Neku didn't let him finish and merely said: "Keep reading."<p>

Unable to refuse, Joshua continued…

As the pages continued on, steadily, Joshua realized they were all just notes that explained the RG, UG, and even the Reapers' Game. There were even entries depicting Neku's progress as Joshua's Proxy. It wasn't anything new to him, but he read through them anyway.

But then…

* * *

><p>"<em>Today, an alert was handed down: the discovery of a Fallen Angel.<em>

_A Fallen Angel is one who has broken the Angel's code-a criminal. Their crime: revealing the secrets of Taboo Noise refinery to the Game master, Minamimoto._

_Minamimoto knows the Composer's RG identity (secret even to the Conductor), and has chased him to the Realground. The Fallen Angel may also have supplied him with this information._"

* * *

><p>Joshua wanted to speak, but Neku merely repeated his earlier words before he could so much as utter a single syllable, and so he continued to read.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Despite being a complete outsider in the wager between Composer and Conductor, he stands to hinder the Composer greatly. It is entirely possible Minamimoto may rise to the office of Conductor before this wager has been decided.<em>"

* * *

><p>"<em>So…<em>

_What is the Fallen Angel's goal? Dominion over the underground? Retribution against the Angels?_

_Whatever the case, we must carefully monitor Minamimoto's actions and stay vigilant against this Fallen Angel._"

* * *

><p>"…<em>Meanwhile, Minamimoto has not issued any missions. The Reaper elites must be alarmed as well. Perhaps this is more of the Fallen Angel's influence…<em>"

* * *

><p>"<em>The second reason the Fallen Angel may have targeted him is his lack of loyalty to the Reapers' organization and his preference for solo action.<em>"

* * *

><p>"<em>Just what did the Fallen Angel tell Minamimoto?<em>

_Perhaps no one will ever know._"

* * *

><p>"<em>Anything that might interfere with the Composer and Conductor's wager must be avoided at any cost. I will personally neutralize Minamimoto's sigil.<em>"

* * *

><p>"<em>Even people who believe they share a connection are not truly connected. They must actually make contact, clash, and learn about others through their foreignness.<em>

_Differences should not be denied; they should be accepted and enjoyed._

_People must realize this if Shibuya is to be spared from destruction._"

* * *

><p>And then he reached the final pages… and Joshua felt his breath hitch.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I entered the parallel world and contacted the Composer. Unexpectedly, he seemed to be enjoying his stay. In fact, the reason he had not contacted me was because he was too busy playing Tin Pin. I made him promise to meet me at the Shibuya River. In the meantime, I need to hide out so as not to meet myself in this world.<em>

_Usually, Angels existing as multiple entities within the same world poses little problem. However, mine is a somewhat…special case._

_You see, I am the Fallen Angel who taught Minamimoto how to refine Taboo Noise._

_Minamimoto owes his successful rebirth to the corrections I made to his flawed Taboo refinery sigil._

_I must hide in Pork City for fear that my alternate self in this world may report me on sight._

_Minamimoto is my backup plan to ensure Shibuya's survival. If the Composer does not change his mind, this unique city will be lost._

_I must prevent that at any cost._

_Thus, I've deemed it necessary to cross the boundaries Angels usually respect. I happily accept the stigma of Fallen Angel for this cause._

_Well then. It's about time to meet him…_

_After calling the Composer and hearing his cheery voice, I feel as if my shadows fall even darker._

_But darkness has always been husband to light. I sincerely hope that someday my sins will be judged justified._

_I still hold faith that they will. Now, and forevermore…_"

* * *

><p>"…Sanae…" Joshua choked out, clutching the booklet so tight he could've ripped it in half. Neku chose not to speak in response and merely waited for Joshua to collect himself again. That in itself took a while, but finally, he was able to speak. "…is that why…? Because he…"<p>

The Ninetails chose not to respond to the half-formed questions, opting instead to regard Joshua wordlessly. He remained like that for several long moments, before he shut his eyes and spoke.

"It did not have to be this way."

Joshua blinked and looked up to Neku, but the fox still had his eyes shut.

"There were other ways… other choices he could have made to prevent Shibuya from being Erased. Ways that did not involve Minamimoto or Taboo Noise. There were as many ways as there are stars in the sky…" At this point, Neku opened his eyes, but his gaze seemed almost… disappointed. "Unfortunately… he chose to walk this path and, in a way, condemned his very being."

The Composer remained silent after those words had been spoken, until the silence threatened to overwhelm him and he spoke again. "But… why were _you_ sent to bring him in? Shouldn't the Higher-ups—"

"All their summons have been ignored."

"…what?"

"I am sure he did not tell you, but Hanekoma has already received numerous summons from above to properly explain his actions. All of these have gone unopened and unanswered." Both his expression and his voice remained solemn as he spoke, as though all emotion had been sucked out of him. "Had he simply gone to meet them, this could have been easily avoided. Sadly, he chose to not answer them and to remain in Shibuya instead."

"…so… if he had chosen to go… you… wouldn't have been forced to kill him, huh?" Joshua asked slowly, lowering his head as he dropped the booklet he still held. Neku's next words made him snap his head up again, though.

"…When did I say I have intent to kill him?"

"Wha…? But you said…"

"I only said I was to deliver the Higher-ups the head of Hanekoma Sanae. I never said I was to separate it from the rest of his body, did I?"

"Well… no… I just thought…"

The Kitsune shook his head once, before he said: "Either way… you know what I have been ordered to do, you know why the order has been issued, and you know what I intend to do… so…" At this point, he looked Joshua straight in the eye. "What will _you_ do about it?"

"Wha…?! Why me?" the Composer choked out. When Neku refused to answer, Joshua clenched his hands into fists as anger began to boil inside of him. "And… what does it matter?! You'll take him away from here no matter what I do _or_ say!"

Neku shut his eyes briefly. "I cannot deny that I will do that…" he agreed, before he opened his eyes. "But that does not mean your choice in unimportant."

"What does my choice even _matter?!_ The outcome will be the same either way!" Joshua argued.

"Wrong."

"…huh?"

"Have you ever heard of Schrödinger's Cat, Composer?"

"…you mean the quantum physics experiment about alternate worlds?"

"Yes."

Of course he knew that theory. A cat is placed in a soundproof box with a bottle of poison gas and a piece of radioactive material. The radioactive material has a 50% chance in an hour of emitting a pulse that can shatter glass. Meaning that in the span of one hour, there is a 50% chance that it can shatter the bottle, which will, inevitably, kill the cat.

After an hour, you are allowed to open the box, but not before answering a simple question:

"Is the cat alive… or is it dead?"

Joshua remained silent after the single word had been spoken, but Neku continued on regardless. "Composer…"

"…Yes?"

"Let me make it easier for you; In 10 seconds, whether you decide or not, I will leave for WildKat to complete my mission."

"What?! H-how is that—"

"You have two choices to make;" Neku continued, undeterred. "Option 1, you can speak to the Producer and convince him to go meet with the Higher-ups on his own accord to prevent potential difficulties."

"That… that's an option…?" Joshua breathed out.

"Yes… though I will of course be forced to accompany him to ensure he truly goes. People can say they will do one thing and do something else entirely, after all."

"…and… option 2?"

"Option 2… you can attempt to stop me, and I will have no choice but to go through you in order to complete my mission," Neku said, his voice cold and emotionless.

"…those… are those the only choices I get?!"

"If I gave you the choice to choose from every option available, I would run out of mission time," the Kyuubi said solemnly. "Do note, if you choose not to make a decision, I will leave for WildKat, as I said earlier. So… consider your options well, Composer."

"Neku, seriously—"

"Juu…"

"…!"

"Kyuu…"

"H-hold on just a—"

"Hachi… Nana…"

Joshua shut up immediately and froze in slight horror upon realizing that he was running out of time to make the decision that would decide the fate of his own Producer, and Neku continued on solemnly, expression unchanging.

"Roku… Go… Yon…"

The silverette bit down on his thumbnail, and he felt cold sweat beginning to run down his forehead as he ran through the two options as quickly as he could.

If he spoke to Sanae, he was certain he could persuade the Angel to meet the Higher-ups of his own free will, but given the severity of his crimes, would he be able to see Sanae again after this? Wouldn't the Higher-ups simply Erase him as punishment? Creating Taboo Noise… or at least _telling_ how to make it was… well, taboo, obviously, he knew. It wasn't called that way for no reason, after all…

"San…"

Option 2… was that even a valid option?! Stop Neku? _How?!_ He couldn't do it 25 years ago, not 5 months ago, and definitely not now, even with his powers not suppressed.

Yet… if he summoned his true power, maybe Sanae could reach him to assist him. Or maybe Jin would be able to do something… because surely, the brunette _would_ notice the sudden shift now that his abilities were able to keep watch over all of Shibuya.

But… was it worth it…?

"Nii…"

Both options had ups and downs, and they also had the chance of failing miserably.

Option 1 - He could convince Sanae and make him go on his own, but he would not know what the Higher-ups would do in response to that, and if he failed to convince Sanae and the barista refused to show, Neku would jump in regardless.

Option 2 - He could try to stop Neku to keep Sanae in Shibuya where he would be safe, and, if it came down to a fight, perhaps Sanae and/or Jin could come to his aid against the fox demon, but if Neku activated the seal on the Composer's wrist, Joshua wouldn't have the slightest chance to fight back.

Where did that leave him…?

What was he supposed to choose?

The result of his choice… would it really matter?

_Until the box is opened… the cat is both alive and dead._

_Until you make a decision… everything that can happen next remains a possibility._

'What… what should I do?!'

"Ichi…"

That last second as Neku prepared himself to say "zero" seemed to last forever, as Joshua clutched his head in despair while the pros and cons of the different options were weighed against each other.

And then, a split second before Neku could speak, he opened his mouth and spoke…

* * *

><p>(*) "See-oh-as" is how I pronounce "COS", which basically means "change of subject".<p>

(**) This is, I believe, how it's pronounced/written… but anyway, Xian just said "Goodbye". If I'm wrong on how it's written, please let me know, since I know even less Chinese than I know Japanese…

* * *

><p><strong>Right; finally figured what to do about the ending(s), brought about by me playing 'Virtue's Last Reward' (which is where I learned of Schrödinger's Cat, too, actually). Joshua's decision will determine the outcome of the story.<strong>

**Option 1 will bring the story to a (near) permanent close with a very slim chance of a sequel.**

**Option 2 will be the less pleasant ending, but will set the stage for the story to continue in a third installment.**

**About Xian… let me put it this way; if I get stuck in a game/anime, and I'm working on stories about something different, I **_**have**_** to make a reference to it. It's how I ended up making a crossover between Dragonball Z and Chrono Cross… ("Riding With The Dragons", which I'm still in the process of completely rewriting).**

**If you can guess who Xian is supposed to be based on, get yourself a cookie of your choice… or you can make a fic-request if you so wish, though if I can manage the request is another matter altogether.**


	18. Stage 18 The End -Option 1-

_**Wishes**_

**Fandom: **The World Ends With You (TWEWY)

**Pairing: **Neku/Joshua

**Setting: **Post-game, takes place after "Purification"

**Summary: **Joshua knew he would regret making that promise with the almighty daiyoukai, but he wasn't counting on the complications that followed it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 18 - The End (Option 1)<strong>_

"Stop! I'll… I'll talk to him…"

Neku remained silent in response to the words, and Joshua heaved a heavy sigh once the words had been formed. Honestly, he hadn't really known what choice he'd make the second he opened his mouth, but he was glad to hear what he had just said.

Option 2… had that ever been a valid option?

He knew that he didn't have the strength or skills to surpass Neku—or Kurasa, whichever—so trying to stop him… was laughable. And besides, even if, by some miracle, he was able to win, the Kitsune had _two_ older brothers who were much stronger than him, and one of them would be more than happy to take on the mission to deliver the Higher-ups Sanae's head, he knew…

Talking to Sanae… that was really the only "safe" option he had…

"…I'll talk to him…" Joshua repeated, refusing to look up to Neku. "I'll… he'll listen to me… I know he will…"

"…Good."

At that single word, Joshua blinked and looked up in surprise. In the few moments he hadn't been looking, the ice of Neku's eyes had melted, he had one leg slung over the other and his arms were crossed over his chest.

"…good?"

"I _really_ wasn't looking forward to getting in a fight," the redhead said with a casual shrug of his shoulders. "Fun as an occasional squabble can be, there's a little too much resting on the outcome of the fight for my tastes." As he finished, he raised his arms and put his hands behind his head. "I'd much rather have this pass over quietly."

Joshua blinked a few times in confusion, before he sighed heavily in relief. "I… I see… th… thank you…"

"Hey, if anyone should be thanking anyone, it should be me," Neku pointed out as he stood up, and Joshua looked up as he did. "If you'd picked option 2 I would've…"

Joshua blinked when Neku stopped talking suddenly and his expression turned… it wasn't what you'd call "sad", but it certainly wasn't a thrilled expression, either. It reminded Joshua of how he had looked on that night when Sakuraba Meiko died… like…

Like he was… lost…

"…Neku?"

The Kyuubi jumped, as though startled awake, before he shook his head. "Never mind… never mind, it's nothing."

Joshua knew it was a lie, and Neku was probably well aware that he did, but he chose not to say anything about it. Even if he questioned it, the fox wouldn't answer, anyway.

"…sigh… if you say so, dear."

"_Don't call me 'dear'!_"

"Hihi."

Joshua didn't know what effect his decision would have… but he trusted Neku. They were Partners, after all, and you were to trust your partner with your life.

But more importantly… they were _friends_…

* * *

><p>"Hey, Jin, whatever happened to that girl you were with?" the redhead asked as he sipped a cup of coffee.<p>

"…she's around," Jin replied without looking up as he worked quickly and efficiently on the reports in front of him, occasionally changing something in them. Given the ease and speed with which he worked, it was almost impossible to believe that the brunette had never actually worked on anything like this prior to becoming the Conductor. Not that anyone really knew of that, of course.

Ichi hummed softly, sipping the bitter liquid every now and again. He was sure that Jin was well aware he wasn't his Master, and yet the Conductor seemed to not see the need to say anything about it. He supposed it made little difference, but how could not help but think that Jin was difficult to get a good read on.

_Ichi._

The redhead blinked once, his left ear (as human as it was) giving a small twitch, the action hidden by his hair. 'Yes, Master?'

_Is he still there?_

Ichi sipped his drink and looked to the side, toward the counter. '…Yes, Master. He is still here. He is reading the paper and drinking coffee, possibly waiting for customers.'

_Good. Did you see the summons?_

'It has been left on the counter, Master. Unopened and unnoticed.'

_Take it and meet with the Composer outside. Pass it to him and then come to me._

'As you wish, Master.'

Ichi had no reason to question his Master's orders, and so he rose to his feet after finishing his drink and walked to the counter. He set the cup on the counter along with some money and turned to Hanekoma. "Hey, Mr. H, I gotta go. Beat said he had something important to show us," he said casually, his hand barely lingering on the counter after swiping the envelope.

"Heh. A'ight, Phones. I'll tell J ya stopped by when he comes back," the man said, not even noticing or caring about the missing envelope.

"Thanks, Mr. H. Ja ne."

With those words, Ichi turned and headed out silently, though he did glance to Jin before he went, but the Conductor had not even bothered to glance up. Satisfied, he stepped out into the streets and briefly shivered as the cold assaulted him. After adjusting his jacket better, he started walking, knowing blindly where to go… and stopped right in front of the Composer as he came around the corner.

"…Ichi?" Joshua asked in slight surprise, but Ichi didn't respond to the question and instead only reached into his pocket and held out the envelope to the ashen-haired Composer.

"This is the final summons…" he said solemnly as Joshua slowly took it. "Do with it what you must…" The Doll seemed to consider his words for a moment, before he bowed his head solemnly. "Farewell, Composer. We might not meet again," he said then and, without giving Joshua the chance to respond, he dashed past him.

And by the time that Joshua looked back, all he would see was a red fox darting across the streets, unseen by people, before it disappeared into an alleyway.

'…they were only foxes…?'

Joshua frowned in confusion, before he shook his head and turned ahead… to WildKat.

After a moment more of just standing there, he sighed and walked forward. Silently, he opened the door and stepped inside.

"Hm? Oh, hey Boss. 'Sup?"

Jin only briefly looked up to nod politely, and then he went back to his work. Joshua resisted the urge to sigh and turned to Hanekoma.

"Hey, Sanae… can we talk?"

* * *

><p>"Hai! Irrashai—Kurasa! Well I'll be damned, how're you doing?" Ken laughed as the redhead entered the almost abandoned shop.<p>

"Good to see you as well, Kunkai-san," the fox said as he took a seat at the counter. "So, how is business?"

"Haha! You should know," the shop owner laughed out. "You and that boy were the ones who helped me rekindle interest amongst people for the old fashioned ramen. Have to say, though, I almost didn't recognize you back then."

"I'm well aware. In fact, that was the point of my 'disguise'."

"Heh. Of course it was… So! Almost done with your latest mission, huh?"

"Yes. I will likely be leaving Shibuya for good today."

"That so, huh? That's a little depressing. You and your friends were my best customers, after all."

"I am sure you'll manage. I mean, you were able to survive this long in modern Japan, right? Not many of your kind would ever be able to stand the human race for so long."

"Hahah! Suppose you got a point there, kiddo. So, one last bowl before saying goodbye, huh?"

"If you don't mind…"

"Course not! So, what would you like?"

"Hmm… you know what? Surprise me!" the redhead said with a small smile. "I feel like this mission went off smoothly, and I need something fresh."

"Hah! Typical. Will do, kiddo."

As the shop owner got to work, the door opened barely a crack, allowing something to zip inside before it fell shut, and then the small creature hopped up onto one of the stools. Neku smirked as the fox sat there, before he asked casually with a nod: "I assume you've done as I asked?"

The fox merely yipped a few times with a small nod of its own.

"Good boy," the Kitsune said as he brought down his hand and let the fox walk up his arm to his shoulders, where the vulpine creature seemed to disappear.

"Finished with the last part of your mission, huh?"

"Not yet, I'm afraid… I still have one more thing to do."

"That so, hm?" the old man asked, before he walked over and handed the redhead a steaming bowl of ramen. "Here ya go, kid!"

"Arigato," the Kyuubi said with a small nod before he brought his hands together and murmured: "Itadakimasu," and then picked up his chopsticks without another word.

Ken waited a few moments for the redhead to eat before asking: "So, what do you think?"

Neku had to wait about five seconds before he was able to answer without a mouthful of noodles. "Mm! This is really good, Kunkai-san! Really good!" he said at last with a firm nod and a smile on his face. "Those people who walk by don't know what they're missing!"

"Wahahaha! Good to hear, kid!" the man laughed out, obviously proud of his work. "And of course these 'modern' folk wouldn't know; not everyone on this world lives for several dozen centuries, yanno?"

"Like us, you mean," the redhead chuckled, before he went back to his meal.

* * *

><p>Getting Sanae to listen to reason was considerably harder than Joshua had anticipated. Sure, getting him to admit he had not gone to see the Higher-ups was easy — all he really had to do was question him about the letter that Ichi had given him earlier — but getting him to actually <em>go<em> was proving itself to be rather difficult.

"Sanae… don't you think you need to at least see them _once_?" Joshua asked with a small sigh. It wasn't that he was getting annoyed; it was more like worry about what Neku would do if Joshua failed to talk Sanae into going. Though he could not understand what reason Sanae had to _not_ go…

He kept talking about that he had a valid reason, but when questioned about it, the Angel clamped up. It was most aggravating.

Sanae sighed as well and shrugged with one shoulder as he held up a hand. "Sorry, J. I just can't. Not yet, anyway. There's still some things that I need to make sure of before I can even consider going."

And there it was again… his so-called "reason" of needing to make sure of something. Joshua was beginning to have a feeling like that reason was going to be what kept this entire conversation where it was. He had to take out that reason to get Sanae to leave, but how was he supposed to do that if he had no idea what the reason was?

"You keep saying that… but really, what's the worst that could happen?" Joshua asked casually.

"Don't invoke Murphy's law, J," Sanae warned. "Before ya know it, ya might just have everything going off at once."

"… so what?"

Joshua and Sanae both blinked and turned to face the speaker at the same time, just as Jin capped his pen and flipped the folder shut. Only once he had tucked it back in his bag did he bother to look up to the duo.

"…whatever happens, happens," he stated simply as he stood up, picking up his cup as he did. "And fine, maybe you staying here is preventing it from happening, but that only means that the moment you _do_ leave, everything _will _be coming all at once." As he set the cup on the counter, he said: "It's like building a dam. The longer you keep it there, the more water gets collected, and the moment you remove it…"

The brunette did not even bother to finish his words. Both Composer and Producer knew what he meant.

After a moment of silence, Jin finally turned to them and stated: "While I know I'm probably intruding on this conversation, I have to say this; just get up there, tell your story, and then get back. The quicker you deal with it, the better it will be in the long run."

Joshua was sure this was one of the few moments where Jin _actually_ spoke more than a few words to anyone at once. And he had to admit, he was both impressed by his words and grateful for his "intrusion". He could already tell that Sanae was now seriously considering actually going.

"Sanae," he said finally, and he allowed a smile. "Really, it'll be fine. I don't know what it is you're expecting to happen, but I'm sure myself and Jin can handle things at least for a little while. And you know well enough what my new Conductor's capable of, hm?"

"…Heh. you got me there, J," Sanae said with a small chuckle. "A'ight, fine, you win. I'll head on up there and tell 'em what's what in 'bout an hour."

If Joshua had had any less self-control, he might've either jumped for joy or hugged Jin in thanks for the assist, but as it was, he merely smirked and said cheekily: "You better. If you're not there by then, I'll make sure they send someone to pick you up. Capish?"

"Hahah. Yeah, I got it, Boss," Sanae chuckled, before he headed into the back of the room.

Once he was gone, though…

"…Hey, Jin?"

"Yes sir?"

"Thanks," Joshua said sincerely to his Conductor. "I was almost afraid he wouldn't…" At this point, the Composer paused in thought, before he sighed. "Never mind. Just… thank you."

"…" Jin did not respond to the Composer's words right away, and he seemed to have been caught slightly off guard by the sudden display of gratitude. After a few moments, though, he nodded once and said: "You're welcome, sir."

* * *

><p>"<em>The power's yet unknown…<br>The power's yet unknown…_"

Blinking, the nine tailed fox reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, flipping it open and putting it to his ear after swallowing a mouthful of noodles. "Let's hear it, Kyuu; what's the sitch?"

"…_he has just sent a message to above, sir. He claims he will arrive before the end of the day._"

Neku chuckled lightly as he murmured: "Looks like he pulled it off…" before saying louder: "Alright, keep an eye on him for the time being. I'll be there in 10 minutes."

"_Understood, sir._"

And with that, the redhead flipped his phone shut again.

"Heh, almost done with your work, huh?" Ken asked good-naturedly.

"Yep. Shouldn't be much longer for things to settle down again," Neku quipped with a small smile on his face.

"Haha. Good for you, kid. I'm betting Kamui's gonna be thrilled, too."

"Nurgh… don't get me started on Kamui, _please_… I'm _still_ angry with him for what he pulled last time…"

"Hm? Did he do something stupid again?"

"Like you wouldn't believe…" the redhead mumbled, before he picked up his bowl and quickly guzzled down the broth. "Whew! Well, I better get going… how much is it?"

"Ah, forget it, kid! Just get going."

"Huh? Um… you sure?"

"Sure I'm sure. Now git."

Neku seemed to hesitate, but finally he just smiled and said: "Thanks, Kunkai-san!" before hurrying out the door.

* * *

><p>Udagawa was not a place where a lot of people passed by, even in broad daylight, and the few people that passed by rarely stayed for long. Most of the bikes parked there were either abandoned by their owners or dumped there by bicycle thieves. But despite its rather grim apparel, it housed some of CAT's most impressive pieces yet.<p>

Which was exactly why said artist was there right then.

"There you are!" a familiar voice called out, and Sanae smiled as he turned to face Joshua and his Conductor as they approached. "I was almost afraid you ran off there, Sanae."

"Heh… wouldn't dream of it, J," the barista said with a small smirk. "I know those guys up there well enough; if I say I'm coming and I don't show, it'll be more than just my head that rolls."

Joshua chuckled a little at the quip, but Jin kept quiet. Which was expected, so Joshua did not bother saying anything about his Conductor's clear lack of interest as he asked: "If I may ask, though… why are you here?"

Sanae hummed in response as he considered how to answer, one hand on his chin, before he said: "Just making sure no one's been messing with my work, really. Would be a waste of all the time I put into it, after all."

Joshua nodded in agreement as he watched the graffiti-covered wall. While Sanae's style was much more abstract than Jin's, it was still impressive in its own right, let alone its subliminal messages of "enjoy the moment" and "gather here" had formed the backbone of Shibuya over the years. That was yet another reason why Joshua really didn't want to lose Sanae, but he supposed that he could only see the Angel off and pray that the Higher-ups would understand his reasoning.

Speaking of reasons, though…

"Sanae, I need to ask…" the Composer said, though he paused when Sanae hummed in slight question. "…_why_ didn't you meet the Higher-ups much sooner? Surely, if you'd just gone to see them…"

The barista sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You got a point… and in hindsight, maybe staying here really _was_ a huge mistake on my part…" he admitted. "But, really, the only reason I didn't go was 'coz I worried 'bout _you_, J."

"…? Me?" Joshua asked in surprise. "Why?"

It took a few moments before Sanae seemed to make up his mind and he briefly adjusted his shades. "Think it's about time you knew… You and me meeting? That wasn't coincidence, kid."

"…what…?"

"Truth is; I was requested by someone to keep an eye on you come what may. And, I admit, first few years were mostly out of that sense of obligation… but, well…" At this point, Sanae paused and chuckled. "Guy was right; 's kinda hard to not get attached to ya after a while."

'…it couldn't be… could it…?'

* * *

><p>"…<em>You want me to <em>_what__ now?" asked a voice little Joshua had never heard before then, and he peeked out through the sliding door curiously. Kura-niichan was there, and he was talking to a man little Joshua had never seen before; he had a surprised expression on his face and his black hair short and a little messed up._

"_You heard me, Hanekoma," Kura-niichan said solemnly, his figure imposing as always. "Once I complete my mission, I want you to look after him for me."_

"_Kurasa, really now, I'm not a nanny, I've—"_

"_Hanekoma Sanae," the redhead snarled in a dark, almost deadly tone. "This matter is nonnegotiable, because I'm not 'asking' you. That's an __order__. Do you understand that?!"_

_The man cowered back at the cold words and for a moment, he looked ready to bolt, but, in the end, he clenched his fists and hung his head. "…I understand. Very well; I'll look after him."_

_Kura-niichan chuckled softly at the response and said casually: "Arigato. I suppose I owe you… oh wait… no I don't."_

"…_You make it sound like I ever had a choice."_

"_There's __always__ a choice, Hanekoma," Kura-niichan said simply, but his voice sounded… alien to little Joshua. "They just don't all end in favorable situations."_

"…_Kura-niichan?" little Joshua called out as he stepped into the room, and the pair of men looked up in surprise. Kura-niichan was quick to respond to the "intrusion" with a smile that was oh so familiar to the small boy._

"_Ah, I'm sorry, Yoshi. Did we wake you?"_

"…_uh-huh…"_

_Kura-niichan laughed softly and walked over to him before crouching down and kissing him to his temple. "I'm sorry, Yoshi. C'mon… let's get you back to bed, okay?"_

"…_kay," little Joshua said and allowed Kura-niichan to lift him up and carry him off. But as they went, little Joshua watched the stranger that Kura-niichan called "Hanekoma" one more time, before he disappeared around the corner._

* * *

><p>"…Kurasa?" Joshua whispered softly under his breath.<p>

The sudden utterance of the name made Sanae blink in surprise and, seemingly without thinking, he mumbled: "Eh… how do you even remember that?"

Joshua stared to Sanae for a moment, but before he could say anything…

"…Hanekoma," Jin said suddenly, which once more alerted the pair of Jin's presence (it really was hard to remember he was there when he didn't speak up). "…You _may_ just want to look down for a moment…"

Sanae blinked with a quirked eyebrow, not too sure what the Conductor was getting at, but he did so anyway – and paled almost immediately.

When Joshua looked down as well, he understood why; nine long, writhing shadows moved about their feet at a leisurely pace, in an almost constant motion that seemed ready to swallow them all up if anyone so much as moved wrong.

"You _really_ take the fun out of everything… do you not, Akataiyo?" questioned a familiar voice, but it was different from before, as it carried much more authority than Joshua had ever heard from him.

Silently, he looked up and mouthed the Kyuubi's name as he gazed upon the redhead where he sat, perched upon the wall behind Sanae. "Neku…"

Dressed in the same black and silver kimono as Joshua had seen him in so many times, there were only a few minor changes between this powerful being and the one whom Joshua had familiarized himself with over the past few months. The arms and legs had made place for powerful fox limbs, each ending in a claw with a set of razor-sharp nails, his body had broadened considerably, making him appear bigger and more muscular than ever before, his face covered by the Kitsune mask that he had worn when he "returned" to Shibuya, and all 9 tails swayed around him, his ears arching back slightly but catching every sound around him.

"Ku-Kurasa…!" Sanae choked out when he, too, lay eyes upon the Kyuubi.

"Hello again, 'Kitty-cat'," Neku said solemnly as he lightly drummed his fingers along his knee, and if Joshua had to guess, his face was likely a mask of its own; one of indifference. "It has been quite a while… has it not?"

The barista gulped once, and actually took a step back from the wall, as though that would somehow save him, but the Kyuubi did not move from his perch in the slightest. "Wh… why are you here?"

"…Is it not obvious?" the fox said solemnly, his fingers continuing their slow drumming along his own knee. "Since a certain _someone_ has been refusing to come up and say that he has made a _huge_ blunder any earlier, the brass up above have decided to make absolutely sure you actually showed yourself." When one of the Kyuubi's tails snapped at the air a little violently, Joshua realized the redhead was really peeved. "Plus, I have my own bone to pick with you…"

When Joshua heard those words, he found himself paling. "Wa-wait! That isn't what we—"

But before Joshua could finish that, the Kyuubi had vaulted himself off the wall and was right in front of Sanae in the blink of an eye. And then…

"OMAE WA _**BAKA!**_" the Kyuubi screamed as he promptly delivered a powerful karate chop to the Angel's head, who yowled out in pain and grasped his skull in both hands with a hiss of pain.

"…ouch," Jin said dryly in response to the chop, which made Joshua look over to his Conductor in slight annoyance.

Neku, however, snarled for a few moments, before he took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. "Whew! There. I feel _much_ better now…" he mumbled as he rubbed his hand.

"Urgh… was that necessary?" Sanae grumbled out as he straightened up again while trying to get rid of the pain in his head.

"Just be glad it's _me_, and not any of the others. Kamui would've had your head rolling by now, and Niisama…" At this point, the redhead paused. "…let's not go into that, actually. I'd rather not know."

Sanae wordlessly nodded his agreement as he adjusted his shades again. "Really though, was that _really_ necessary?"

"Yes. Yes, it was," Neku responded immediately, before he glanced down to his right palm. "Now, as fun as it would be to 'catch up', Hanekoma, I'm afraid I'm running low on time, so if you don't mind."

Upon hearing that, Sanae winced. "Ouch. They actually made it official, huh?" he mumbled, before he sighed. "Alright, Kurasa. Just… give me one minute, a'ight?"

"…Thirty seconds," the Kyuubi stated coldly, to which the barista sighed.

"A'ight, a'ight…" Sanae turned to Joshua and Jin, and gave a small helpless shrug. "Guess I'll have to be brief then. You boys take care of things while I'm gone, ya hear?"

Joshua merely chuckled. "No need to worry about that. We'll be just fine. And Shibuya as well."

"…Hm."

"Hahah, I'll take your word for it, then," Sanae said with a chuckle. "Though watch yourselves, too, a'ight."

Joshua smiled a little in response and nodded. "Will do. You take care, too."

Sanae looked like he was about to say more, but the Kyuubi interrupted him. "Time's up."

"A'ight, a'ight, I get it," Sanae chuckled out, before he sighed while rubbing the back of his neck. "You really haven't changed, have ya?" the Angel quipped, even as his wings unfolded and he turned into a ball of light that zipped up and disappeared into the heavens.

"…Haven't changed, huh?" Neku mumbled with a half-hearted chuckle as he shook his head. "First time someone's told me _that_…"

"…It all depends on how you look at it, Sakuraba," Jin said simply, hands in his pockets.

"…Heh, maybe so," the redhead mumbled as he removed his mask and ran a hand through his spiky hair, of which the tips were now white. After a moment more, the redhead finally turned to Shibuya's Composer. "Joshua."

"Yes, dear?" Joshua quipped with a small chuckle.

"Don't call—…_sigh_… whatever. Anyway, thanks. That went smoothly and, hopefully, since he went on his own accord, they'll be lenient up there," the fox said as he briefly cricked his neck.

Upon hearing that, Joshua quirked a curious eyebrow. "Oh? You mean if he hadn't gone, they would've not been?"

"Of course they wouldn't…" Neku grumbled. "You really think they would've let him off the hook easy if he had to be _dragged_ up there?"

"…Hihi. Point taken."

Jin remained silent throughout it all, but after a few more moments, he opened his mouth: "…Why are you still here, Sakuraba?"

"…Heh. Always to the point, huh, Jin?" Neku chuckled out, before he turned serious, and his expression was similar to the one Joshua had seen on him that morning. "I am still here… to finish the last part of my mission…" the fox said solemnly, as all of his tails swayed behind him.

And in the next moment, as a burst of light blinded them both briefly, the daiyoukai's form had shifted into what could only be called a Noise form; tribal markings covered his bare skin, as his kimono and hakama had gone to be replaced by blood red fur lined by the same black markings.

"Show me, Composer! Show me if your heart has healed from the injuries you inflicted!"

* * *

><p>There was no time to question the Kyuubi as both Composer and Conductor were drawn into the Noise's zone, but this time, something was different; both of them were in the same zone, facing off against the powerful daiyoukai. Though this startled them both, they quickly shook that away and focused instead on the Kyuubi.<p>

"Show me what you've got…" the beast growled out, before it dropped down onto all fours and snapped its tails forward like whips.

Jin immediately back flipped out of range while Joshua spun on his heel, barely avoiding being hit. After exchanging both a glance and a nod, Jin punched the palm of one hand and then dashed toward the Kyuubi while Joshua armed his phone and pressed down on the buttons rapidly. And as he pressed the final button, a vending machine materialized above the fox, who was unable to dodge in time since he'd been trying to swipe at Jin.

Sadly, the fox didn't flinch from the hit, which made Joshua wonder if the hit was even doing damage. Jin, on the other hand, did not even bother with it and aimed a spin kick to the daiyoukai's face. While the actual kick was dodged, the burst of Imagination that followed after was faster and struck the fox to the jaw, forcing him backwards – right into a flying car that threw him against the wall.

Joshua breathed out in relief as the Kyuubi shook the stars away from his vision, before he frowned in confusion. He had never seen this form of the fox before, and despite how he and Jin were holding their own, Joshua felt like this was far too easy. He hadn't forgotten the difficulty that Sanae and he had had when Neku – or Kurasa, whichever – had first appeared, and compared to that, this fight was ridiculously easy.

'Something's not right… is he going easy on us?'

No answer to Joshua's question came, and just then the fox spun around and lashed out with his tails at Jin. The Conductor immediately leaped away – only to yowl as something sliced open his arm even though he had clearly been out of range of the tails.

"Jin!" Joshua shouted out as Jin landed a few feet in front of him.

"Ch…! It's his Dolls!" Jin snarled out. "They're attacking from his tails!"

The Dolls… of course.

Somehow Joshua wasn't as confused as he possibly should've been. Maybe because somewhere in the back of his mind, he had always known.

"Well… guess we have little choice… Jin-kun, would you mind?"

"Not at all, sir."

"Good. Then… _fetch_."

Jin crouched down low with his hands digging into the ground, and then he growled low in his throat with his teeth bared, that gradually got a more prominent "bite" to them, as a dark purple liquid slowly dribbled down his chin from the corners of his mouth. And as he twitched his fingers briefly, familiar tribal marks now covered his arms like a pair of claws that perfectly overlapped with his limbs, while at the same time, a tribal-like snake formed from his tailbone and it hissed angrily at the Kyuubi as Jin rolled up his sleeves, revealing the black markings shaped into wolf heads upon his shoulders. And then, Jin opened his mouth and released a furious, canine howl, which unleashed a powerful burst of Imagination, just before he lunged for the Kyuubi.

The daiyoukai growled and dodged to the side to avoid the swipe from Jin's large claws, only for its shoulder to be caught in the jaws of the wolf's head on the right, drawing a yowl from the fox. The lupine was able to lash out at the head to force it to let him go, so instead it lashed out with its tails. This forced the Conductor to let go and allowed the daiyoukai to dart backwards while continuously lashing out with its tails again.

Joshua only smirked as he saw the motions of the fox become slightly slower, before he regarded Jin's powerful Noise form.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise, and really it hadn't (to Josh, at least), that Jin's form had taken on the shape of the very beast he had once drawn to "protect" the Rubicon; Cerberus, the dog who guards the gates to the underworld.

After taking a deep breath, Joshua shut his eyes and focused all of his power to center upon him, and found that nothing was blocking it at all, and nothing was stopping it from responding to his call. First his wings formed, then they shifted so that they ran parallel with his arms, and then they curled around his arms entirely as he spread his arms wide once more as his own Noise form materialized.

As it did, however, he suddenly realized something; this would be the first time he ever used his own complete Noise form, ever.

He breathed in once, held it, and then exhaled, before he kicked off from the ground and spiraled upward into the air as Imagination coiled around him entirely. The surge of energy that surrounded him was like a veil and engulfed until a massive bird-like creature with its eyeless and mouthless head shaped like the head of a serpent hovered in place (*) As his form solidified entirely, his beat his wings once more and then released a screech that reverberated through the air and unleashed a blast of pure light at the Kyuubi just as Jin leaped away.

There was no way the daiyoukai could jump out of the way, and he howled in pain as the blast scorched a good part of his fur.

Joshua allowed a small, unseen smirk, and he thought to himself; 'I don't know what this is about… but I'll not let you have this victory just like that!'

* * *

><p>"Goodness me… I certainly was not expecting <em>this<em>," Ruka murmured softly as he watched the fight continue on from within the LG.

He was sitting upon a nearby bench in said sub-realm, nursing a cup of herbal tea as he watched the three Noise forms dart back and forth in something akin to a dance, while Shibuya's Music played the tune to guide them. Unlike his little brother, Ruka could not hear the Song of the Composer and had to strain his senses to even remotely feel any sort of melody from a city, but Shibuya's Music seemed to call even to someone as unmusical as himself. It was truly inspiring.

Ruka took another sip of his tea as his smaller brother once more jumped forward into the fray. For the other Kyuubi, it was easy to see that the redhead was adapting his power to what was thrown at him. The more power was thrown at him, the more power he would throw back. It was an easy trick of reflection that Ruka had taught him shortly after the kit had come under his care, and it was not something so easy to figure out, especially in the midst of battle. While he was sure that Shibuya's new Conductor would be able to understand, again, it would take time.

"…Ruka-niisama… sh… shouldn't we… do something?"

"…What's your hurry, Kamui?" Ruka asked without ever looking over to the other youkai, who sat on his knees beside the bench, his head down but his eyes watching the same fight from under his bangs.

"…but… K-Kurasa is…"

"Doing just fine," Ruka said firmly as he shut his eyes and took a long sip. "Face it, Kamui; little Kurasa has finally grown up."

"…"

The other Kyuubi said absolutely nothing in response.

* * *

><p>The power that the Kyuubi was giving off was almost surreal. Joshua had already known the Kyuubi to be strong, but this was just crazy. The Ninetailed Fox was bearing the brunt of all the attacks while at the same time countering with equal or more power than was thrown at him. This definitely complicated matters quite a bit, and Joshua wasn't certain if they'd win like this.<p>

'…_! Sir! Don't move!_'

'What?!'

'_Don't move! Please, just trust me, sir!_'

'…alright.'

All three beasts leaped away at the same time… and then all seemed to stop.

Jin merely stood, with only his tail hissing angrily as all three heads glared.

Joshua hovered in place, barely needing to beat his wings to keep afloat.

And the Kyuubi remained with his tails primed and swaying ever so slightly, but nothing else.

'…why isn't he…?'

'…_mirrors… that's what this was all about…_'

Joshua didn't have time to question it, however, as Neku allowed a smirk and then stood back up onto his legs. "Congratulations, Josh; you pass!"

"…?! I what…?"

Neku merely chuckled as his Noise form faded away again. Seeing this, both Composer and Conductor also released their forms and watched the redhead with a hint of caution, but also confusion.

"What do you mean… I 'passed'?" Joshua asked finally as they were brought back into the UG.

"What? You forgot already?" Neku asked as he put a hand on his hip and fiddled with his spiky bangs. "I'm supposed to make sure the city stays safe when I leave. Meaning you'd need to be able to trust your Conductor to help you keep it that way." When he finished saying that, he allowed a small smile. "And you made a good decision in picking Jin for that role."

"…well… thanks, I guess?"

"…"

Of course, Jin said nothing in response to the words.

"Kurasa."

The Kyuubi's ears perked up at the call, and after blinking once, he turned his head.

"…? Niisama? Kamui? What're you doing here?" the redhead asked in surprise, cocking his head as the other Kyuubi approached.

"Is that not obvious, otouto?" Ruka said simply. "We came to pick you up. That is, of course, if you have finished your business here."

Neku frowned a bit and ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "Really guys… I didn't need… …ah whatever. Just give me like… 5 minutes, a'ight?"

"You have got to be—OOMPH!" Kamui coughed out as he quickly covered his gut after Ruka had abruptly shoved his elbow into it, which earned a few chuckles from Joshua and also a half-smirk from Jin.

"Alright, Kurasa. Five minutes, but no more."

"I get it, I get it, esh…" Neku grumbled, before he turned and walked over to the Composer and Conductor. As he did, though, Joshua's amusement faded and Jin sobered up as well. It didn't take either of them long to understand what came now. "…well…" the redhead started, and, for a moment, Joshua could almost swear that he was a tad… uncertain. "I guess… this's 'farewell', then, huh…?"

"…"

Joshua didn't respond. He knew that what he said was true, as much as he wished it wasn't so. Neku… in the short period he had known the redhead, he had become almost a daily part of Joshua's life. But he'd always known they could never be together, either as friends or anything else.

Had Neku been born human, then someday, he would've died and left Joshua alone. Whether he had died a natural death or whether he had been killed, it wouldn't have mattered. Neku wouldn't have needed to play the Game again, given how much his Soul had been polished up during those three weeks he had spent there already.

And even now, when Joshua knew that the redhead had as much of eternity as he did, there was no way for them to be together in any way, shape or form. Joshua was only a Composer, and Neku–or Kurasa, but really though, what did it matter?–was a daiyoukai with enough power to rival Angels. Their worlds were simply too far apart…

…it was impossible…

"…yeah."

Neku did not say or do anything for a little while, before he gave a sigh and held out his hand to Joshua. Though this gesture was something he had not expected, Joshua didn't say anything about that, and instead brought up his hand and slowly took hold of Neku's and shook it solemnly. He knew it would likely be the last time he'd ever see the Kyuubi, but despite that thought, he was too scared to do what he really wanted to do, as he was not sure how it would be received.

But when he was about to let go, the Proxy tightened his grip briefly and yanked, making Joshua stumble forward with a yelp–

Which was immediately cut off by Neku covering his mouth with his own, as his free hand came up and kept the Composer's head in place. Joshua blinked once, then twice, before he finally just shut his eyes and let the Kyuubi do as he pleased, not even caring about the other foxes' reactions as he was a _little_ preoccupied with more important things. And when the fox's tongue ran over his lips, he didn't hesitate and parted them to allow the daiyoukai entry, trying to suppress a wanton moan from spilling from his throat when that slick tongue played along the inside of his mouth. He was so lost in the feeling, that he didn't even feel the seals the Kyuubi had placed on him fading away until they had parted for air.

"…I'm afraid I don't have any wings to pluck feathers from…" Neku said suddenly, as he stepped back and reached up with both hands to run them through his hair – which made the strands grow both longer and smooth until the locks were as long as Joshua had remembered them to be when he was young. The redhead didn't give Joshua the time to respond as he reached into his left sleeve and pulled out a kris; a dagger forged into a zigzag pattern. "So this'll have to do," the redhead quipped as he grabbed all the locks of hair in one hand and then brought up the dagger as he pulled the many strands taut.

"Wh-whoa hold on–"

But the words came too late as the kris cut through the strands, separating them from the remainder of his hair. Joshua could only stare as the fox's long mass of hair had been reduced to spiked strands that barely reached his shoulders. Briefly, the Kyuubi ran his hand through the strands, and as he did, the strands on the side of his head spiked up into the style he had used for almost 20 years, while the rest remained smooth and hung down in his neck.

"Wh… why did you just…?" Joshua began to say, but his words died in his throat as the strands the Kyuubi still held ignited when Neku opened his hand.

The flames danced around for a few breathless moments, and then turned pure white and began to diminish again. Neku said nothing at all as he curled his hand shut again, fisted it for a moment, and then opened it again… revealing a silver pendant shaped like the emblem that Joshua recalled seeing on the Kyuubi's back, a silver chain linked through the small loop.

"Know it's not much… but 's the best I could do in five minutes…" Neku admitted as he scratched the back of his head, before he held out his hand with the pendant to Joshua.

Joshua blinked in surprise a few times, before he looked down to the pendant… and then he realized its significance…

* * *

><p>"<em>So… you're like… what? Pinky from some other world or what not?" the redhead asked with a furrowed brow as he fiddled with his bangs.<em>

"_Hihi… 'Pinky'? Really now , Neku, is that the best you can come up with?" Joshua chuckled out._

_They had separated from the others a little while ago, and while Joshua was well aware he should not be wandering around aimlessly at this point, he couldn't help but be curious about this world's Neku. For some reason, this world's version of the redhead was hardly as "emo" as the one of his own and, in fact, seemed to __enjoy__ hanging out with the "box of crayons", and Joshua couldn't be say why he was like that here and not in Joshua's own world._

"_Oh screw you…" Neku grumbled out, shoving his hands in his pockets._

_Joshua chuckled, before he sobered up. "Anyway, Neku, yes, that's one way of putting it. Does that bother you?"_

"_Nah, not really," Neku mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess… in a way it makes sense… I mean, everyone's always asking themselves like 'what if I'd done that?' or 'what if I'd said this?'. So if every choice was like a different world, I guess the number would be endless, right?"_

"_Hihi. Right you are." Joshua was impressed; Neku was a surprisingly deep thinker, and given how he spoke about it, he had possibly thought about this a lot even before he had met Joshua._

_As they walked, though, Joshua noticed that the teen's expression suddenly became distant, as though he was recalling something he actually did not want to think about. And Joshua, being the curious person he is, just couldn't resist and reached out to Scan the redhead's thoughts. Which was much easier here, since he wasn't blocking people out._

_**Is there a world… where **__**he**__** lived…?**_

'…"_he"?' Joshua frowned a little in confusion, and looked closely to Neku's expression. It was distant and empty, but not enough for him to jump into his memories. That wouldn't be a wise idea, anyway._

_So, Joshua took a small detour._

"_Hm… say, Neku? What do you think happens after death?" he asked, as though in passing, but the question caused Neku to freeze and then turn to him in alarm._

"…_wh… why do you ask…?" the redhead asked, but Joshua kept a careful watch on his thoughts. __**Why is asking me about…? Ah hell… don't tell me he **__**knows**__**… shit!**_

"_Oh, just curious. Everyone's got their own thoughts on the matter, and I was curious about yours."_

"…_don't really have one," Neku said curtly, his hands buried in his pockets. "What does it matter? Once you're dead, it's over, isn't it?"_

_**It's not like he'll just suddenly come back from the dead somehow… and why would he anyway? To see me… his murderer?**_

_Joshua did a __very__ good job at keeping the surprise/shock off his face when he picked up the last part. He had always known he knew very little about Neku—both this version and his own—but he had been certain he had been well aware of the most important pieces._

_This, naturally, was classified as "important"… and yet he had never even __heard__ of it._

_And he had to know… __had to__._

_It was against the rules, and he'd be in SO much trouble if Sanae ever found out, but he was going to take that risk._

_Joshua blinked his eyes once and then reached out again… but this time he went deeper…_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Ooooy! You okay there?!<strong>_

**…**_**shut up… talk about noise…**_

_**Oh! So you **__**do**__** talk! Almost thought you were mute there! Hehe!**_

…_**what do you want?**_

_**Well… you looked like something was troubling you, so I thought maybe I could help ya.**_

**…**_**wha…? Time out; you don't even **__**know**__** me and you want to 'help' me?**_

_**Well yeah. That's what friends are for, right?**_

**…**_**Now we're friends? Ch… stop bothering me…**_

_**Oy! Wait up!**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Neku! Wait up already!<strong>_

_**Not my fault you're too slow…**_

_**Hey!**_

**…**_**heh…**_

* * *

><p>…<em><strong>oy…<strong>_

_**Hm? 'Sup, Neku?**_

_**Could… could we meet me in Udagawa later? I… I've got something to tell you…**_

_**Wow! You're asking me to go somewhere?! Everyone run for cover! It's the end of the world!**_

_**S-shut up already! I'm serious!**_

_**Hehe. I know, I'm just joking. Sure! I'll be there. What time?**_

_**Around… 8:30?**_

_**You got it!**_

* * *

><p><strong>…<strong>_**Neku, honey, it wasn't your fault… Honey, talk to me…**_

**…**

_**Neku… **__**say**__** something!**_

**…**

_**Neku…**_

* * *

><p><em>Joshua blinked once and his expression became solemn. The memory had been fuzzy around the edge, but that boy that Neku had hung out with… he seemed like the type of guy that could grow on you without ever trying hard. Brown, tousled hair and eyes the color of the clearest sky, which also happened to be his namesake, and a big grin on his face made it difficult to not smile around him. (**)<em>

'_So that's why…'_

_Neku had called him out that day… and in his hurry to get to Neku, the boy had gotten involved in an accident. One that he didn't survive…_

_Of course, it wasn't Neku's fault, but Neku's conscious thought otherwise. In Neku's eye; no matter which way you looked at it, it would always be his fault… and he would always be a murderer in his own eyes._

_Joshua twirled a strand of hair around his finger in thought. How was he supposed to clear __that__ up?_

_After a while, he realized there wasn't a way… but there __was__ something else he could do._

"_Neku."_

"_Huh…? What do you want n–"_

_The redhead didn't even have the chance to finish, since just as he turned to face Joshua, the silverette was right in front of his face and both his hands went around the other teen's neck, almost as though he was planning to pull him in for a kiss. This was enough for Neku to freeze up entirely, startled and a tad unsure, and Joshua could see his eyes darting across the Composer's face, possibly to try and figure out just what the hell he was doing. The Composer resisted the urge to smile cheekily, since he felt the boy's pulse pick up as his wrists touched the redhead's neck briefly._

_It wasn't hard to figure out from the glimpse he had had of Neku's memories that that boy had been important. There had also been something in the back of his mind… something he had been trying to forget…_

_A quiet, unheard desire for more…_

_**Click**_

"_There," the Composer quipped as he stepped back again with a small smirk._

_Neku blinked twice in response to the quip, before he became aware of a light weight upon his chest, making him look down. "Huh…? What's this for?" he questioned as he took hold of the shining white feather hanging from a chain around his neck._

_Joshua giggled again, before he said: "You can consider that as a 'prize' for beating me earlier. Or, if you so wish, consider it a symbol of friendship. Take your pick which you want it to be."_

_The redhead regarded Joshua with a questionable look, and the silverette had a feeling he was itching to ask about that again (as he had the last three times they had spoken), but instead, he looked down to the feather and turned it a few times between his fingers._

_And then he opened his mouth and said…_

* * *

><p>"'I'll consider it both, then'," Joshua said with a smile as he took the pendant from the Kyuubi's hand and blindly secured the chain around his neck. The weight that fell upon his chest was something he was certain he would not be able to forget anytime soon.<p>

Neku merely smirked with a chuckle. "'If you say so, dear'."

Joshua chortled softly as he smiled at the Kyuubi. But before he could say anything else…

"Time's up, Kurasa," Ruka called out.

"Already? Aw come on!" Neku complained, but he only grumbled and spun around to walk back to his brothers.

And Joshua merely stood and watched, his amused expression fading away as Neku continued getting further and further away from him…

"…Sir." Joshua blinked and turned toward Jin when he spoke. The Conductor wasn't looking at him, though, and instead kept his gaze on the three Kyuubi. "…this could be your last chance. Whatever you want to do… it is best you do so now."

Though Joshua blinked in question upon Jin's statement, he quickly turned back to the Kyuubi to see that Neku had almost reached the others' side. Joshua blinked once, he could've sworn he blinked once, and then suddenly his body was moving before he had given it permission to do so, same with his mouth as it opened and he shouted out: "Neku!"

The redhead turned around at the shout in surprise, blinking, but before he could say anything, he choked in surprise when Joshua suddenly caught the Kitsune in a hug. The daiyoukai had completely frozen in place, and he barely seemed to be breathing, but, really, Joshua couldn't be bothered with that right then. He had shut his eyes as he held on fast, his head pressed against the redhead's chest with his ear placed right over his heart to listen to its powerful beat.

…_**do-kun… do-kun… do-kun…**_

'The last time…' he realized quietly, finally understanding Jin's words. 'This… is the last time…'

"…thank you," Joshua whispered softly. "…thank you… for coming to me… thank you…"

Neku tried to speak a few times, before he briefly turned his head to the other two Kyuubi. Kamui, of course, looked like he was about to lunge, but Ruka's presence prevented him from doing so. And Ruka… he was just letting it happen silently and didn't seem the least bit surprised. Though after a moment, he did tilt his head and cocked one eyebrow as though to ask: "What are you looking at us for?"

When he knew neither of the two had anything to say about it, Neku turned back to the Composer still clinging to him and brought his arms up, enveloping Joshua in them and silently resting his cheek on top of Joshua's head. And this made Joshua want to cry.

This was just… _too _familiar…

* * *

><p>"<em>Kura-niichan! Don't go!"<em>

"_Joshua… let go."_

"_No!"_

"_Joshua…"_

"_Don't go! Don't leave me alone! Please!"_

"…"

"_Don't… don't go… don't you leave me, too… please no… please…"_

_Little Joshua was crying and clinging to Kura-niichan's leg, because he didn't want to go. He wanted to stay with Kura-niichan, not go back home with his grandma and grandpa. He didn't want to…_

_Kura-niichan sighed softly as he moved little Joshua aside and then crouched down, after which he enveloped the small boy in a hug. The boy sniffled as he clung now to Kura-niichan's kimono, burying his face in his chest and wishing fervently for the redhead to not leave him._

"_I'm sorry, Yoshiya… I really am…" Kura-niichan whispered, running a hand through his hair. "But you have to go home… and so do I…"_

"_But I dun want you to go!" little Joshua wailed as he clung on tighter._

"_I know… I know…" the redhead murmured. "I don't want to either… but… I… I have people at home who are waiting to see me again… and I know you do, too…" Kura-niichan paused speaking then, before he whispered: "Yoshiya… if you… if you really like someone… then you have to learn to think about what is best for them first…"_

"…_but… but you dun wanna go… I dun want you to go…" Sniffle. "So why… why can't you stay? I want you to stay!"_

"…_but you don't __**need**__ me, Yoshiya…"_

"…_? Huh…?"_

"_There's a difference between 'want' and 'need'… wishes… and needs…" Kura-niichan sounded really sad then… "You… don't __**need **__me…"_

"_Kura-niichan!" little Joshua began, but before he could finish, Kura-niichan kissed him to his temple._

"_I love you, Yoshiya… that's why…" the redhead whispered, as a single tear rolled down his cheek, "that's why… why we have to say goodbye…"_

_Little Joshua blinked, his own tears rolling endlessly, before he sniffled and put his hands on Kura-niichan's shoulder and pulled himself up so that he could kiss the taller man's cheek. "I… I love you too… but… I dun wanna…"_

"_I know…" Kura-niichan whispered as he held the small boy to him tightly, as though he wanted to bury him in his own chest. "Goddess, I know… I know… but… not all wishes can come true…"_

* * *

><p>He didn't want to let go…<p>

He didn't want him to leave…

…but he had to…

After taking a deep breath, Joshua slowly pulled away – but not before giving the Kitsune a small kiss on the lips.

Though, this (obviously) startled the Kyuubi, he didn't say anything of it, and instead stepped back to his brothers.

Once he had done so, Ruka nodded and turned around, walking off silently. Kamui looked like he was about to say something, but he thought better of it in the end, and instead only walked after.

Neku began to follow, but he paused momentarily and cast a look over his shoulder to Shibuya's Composer one more time. Neither of them said anything, but, finally, Neku turned around and followed after his two brothers, disappearing from sight within only a few moments.

Joshua remained rooted to his spot, staring at the spot where the redhead had been. When he blinked, a single tear rolled down his cheek, but if he had noticed, he chose to ignore it.

'…I _do_ need you now… but… you're right… if you like someone… you have to think of them first…'

After taking a deep breath, he turned to Jin, who said nothing about the tears now rolling down his cheeks (thank god), and said: "Well… let's go home, Jin."

"Yes sir."

The silverette merely nodded, and began to walk, hands shoved in his pockets and head low.

'I wish you could stay with me… but… not all wishes can come true…'

* * *

><p>"…you're touching it again, sir."<p>

Joshua jumped when Jin's voice called out so suddenly and immediately lowered his hand from where it was touching the pendant around his neck. "Ah, sorry, Jin-kun. What were we discussing again?"

The look in Jin's eyes could almost be called "amusement", if Joshua hadn't known that Jin never showed that particular emotion. "About the replacement Producer the Higher-ups will be sending us today, sir," he said instead.

"Ah, right…" Joshua murmured softly.

They had received a notice from the Higher-ups about Sanae, almost a week after the events in Udagawa, and while they clearly stated that he would not be erased for his actions, he was dismissed from his position as Shibuya's Producer, as well as banished from the city itself, for an indefinite amount of time. Hence, they had declared that they would send a replacement within two days.

Which was today.

While Joshua knew it was useless to think about it, he couldn't help but worry slightly. Sanae had been like a guardian to him and, regardless of his reasons why, the man had become very important to the Composer. It just didn't feel right to have someone else take the role of the person who had helped shape Shibuya into what it was today.

Regardless of that, the pair was waiting in the WildKat cafe, with Jin absently working on tidying the place up, given that Sanae had been away for so long, and Joshua was sitting in one of the booths, his back to the door. There had not been any customers as of late, though that was mostly due to the weather; it had been raining for several days on end already, and while there had been a few pauses in between, it tended to start raining again within the hour.

"…you're doing it again, sir."

"Gah! Dammit!" Joshua hissed as he let go of the pendant again. "Why do I keep doing that?"

"…perhaps you should worry about it later, sir," Jin said solemnly. "It seems he's here already."

"Hm? What do you–"

But before he could finish his question, the door gave a click to signal it was unlocked, and then it swung open inward with a merry jingle from the bell installed above it.

"Damn this weather! Seriously! Who needs _this_ much rain already?!"

The moment Joshua heard that voice, he froze up in shock, before he abruptly turned around to face the doorway.

Standing in the doorway was a man wearing dark purple and blue clothes that should've allowed for plenty of mobility, but the rain had made the material cling to the person's limbs, and even the jacket (with its hood drawn over the person's face) was drenched throughout.

"…you done complaining, Sakuraba?" Jin asked solemnly as Joshua nearly jumped to his feet.

"Ah sod off, Akataiyo!" the man said as he reached for the hood and flipped it back, revealing deep red hair and dark blue eyes. "Not all of us like getting our fur wet like that, thank you very much!" the redhead grumbled as he tousled the red mass of hair until he had shook it reasonably dry, which made the sections at the side of his head spike backwards slightly.

Jin merely snorted in response and said nothing else, even as the redhead leaned sideways against one of the booths to remove his sopping wet shoes, all while grumbling under his breath. And as he did, Joshua could only watch the redhead do so, unable to utter ever a sound, until he looked up towards the silverette.

"…Neku…"

"…Yo," the redhead said as he held up his hand in greeting. "Been a while, huh?"

"…" Joshua wanted to speak, wanted to say something, _anything_… but nothing would come out. Hell, he could barely _move_, since his body seemed to have been frozen in place.

Jin glanced over to the Composer from the corner of his eyes, before he sighed softly and looked back to the new arrival. "Oy, Sakuraba, I need to get some things done in the back. Can I leave the front of the store to you?"

Neku blinked a few times, before he smirked. "Sure thing. I got this."

The brunette only nodded as he turned and walked away, eventually disappearing into the back of the store. Once he had, Neku's expression sobered up and he turned around to face Joshua.

"…oy… um, Josh…?" he started after a moment when the Composer still refused to speak or move, nervously fiddling with his spiky bangs. "…um… well… uh I'm um…" he tried again, but he trailed off shortly after again. "…w-would you say something already?! What're you trying to do?! Freak me out or what!?"

"…"

Joshua blinked once, but as he did, a tear slowly slipped out and rolled down his cheek. He blinked again, and two more followed the first, and only then was he able to move again. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out for the longest time, before a strangled sob wrenched itself loose from his throat as the entire situation came crashing down…

"You… you came back…" he choked out.

"…well… yeah…" Neku mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Joshua wasn't sure what kind of sound he made then; he wanted to laugh, but he also wanted to cry, he wanted to scream yet he also wanted to talk. But whatever sound he made, he neither knew nor cared, as he immediately closed the distance between himself and the redhead and caught him in a hug that would've surely crushed a lesser man's spine. Neku, of course, only yelped lightly in surprise, before he allowed a small smile and wrapped his own arms around Joshua, holding him close and running a hand through his silvery locks. Joshua's hands were entangled in the fabric of the redhead's soaked JotM jacket, and his face was buried in the Proxy's chest, where he sobbed quietly as he held on for dear life, whispering over and over again; "You came back… you came back…"

Neku said nothing in response, though he did make soft shushing noises as he gently rocked the Composer like a mother comforting her child, and neither of them cared if the raindrops that had clung to Neku soaked the Composer as well. It just wasn't important…

It took several long moments, before Joshua was able to breathe out: "Why are you back? I… I thought you said…"

"I didn't get much choice there…" Neku murmured with a soft chuckle. "Grams said I either had to go or stay up there for a few more centuries…"

Joshua smiled weakly, though he refused to move. "She was going to ground you?"

"That's one way to put it, yeah…" the redhead chuckled out softly. "Grams is surprisingly stern, really…"

The silverette smiled softly, before his expression fell as he realized something. "…so… if she hadn't… you wouldn't have come…?"

"Probably not… not with permission, anyway," Neku said, and the comment actually earned him a surprised look, which was answered by a cheeky smirk. "What? You _really_ thought I was just going to up and leave like that?"

Joshua blinked a few times more, before he chuckled. "Heh… and you say _I'm_ the—mmph!"

Whatever he had been about to say was abruptly cut off when Neku pushed the Composer's head forward and crushed their mouths together. For a moment, Joshua tried to shove Neku away, but after only a few seconds, he groaned and gave in, shutting his eyes and leaning into the Kitsune's chest.

When Neku finally let up, Joshua moaned as the redhead's leg pushed up against his groin. "Nrgh… N-Nek-_uuuuu! _N-not here…! J-Jin is—"

"You really think he'll give a damn?" Neku purred out as he nipped along the silverette's throat. "You _really_ think he left just to get something from the back?"

"B-but..! _A-aaahh!_"

Neku merely chuckled as he briefly flicked his finger at the air – which locked up the door and shut the blinds at the same time. "I am _through_ waiting…" he breathed out as he hitched up Joshua's shirt with one sharpened nail. "Have you forgotten already?" he hissed as his finger ran up Joshua's side, making the ashen-haired boy whine. "Until I say otherwise… your body belongs to me."

"_Ah hah…_ y-yes… N-Ne… ku-s-sa…maa_aaah!_" Joshua wailed out as Neku pinched his nipple. "J-just… please… n-not… not here… please…"

The redhead only smirked as his pupils slitted down the center of his iris and he forced Joshua back until he landed back first upon one of the tables in the nearest booth. "I don't think you understand what I said, _sweetheart_." The silverette whimpered as he felt his entire body responding to the endearment. "I told you; I'm _through_ waiting…"

That was the last thing Neku said before he dove in and claimed Joshua's mouth again, and the Composer could only whine wantonly as his body arched up in response. He couldn't refuse; it had been barely a week, yet he had found himself wishing feverishly for the redhead's touch, and now that he finally had it, he didn't want to let it go…

But there was something he had to say first… something important.

He didn't want to do it, but he whined and turned his head to the side to break the kiss and choked out: "W…wait… I… N-Neku, I…!"

The Kyuubi seemed to detect the slight desperation in his voice, which was probably why he stopped, cocking an eyebrow as he tilted his head sideways slightly. This allowed Joshua to catch his breath for a moment, before he was able to speak again.

"I… I think I understand now…"

"…understand what?"

"The difference… between 'want'… and 'need'…" Joshua choked out, his heart refusing to beat any slower than it already was (which was still too fast), leaving him a little short of breath. "Want… is like a wish… you want it… but you don't need it to… to keep living…"

The redhead didn't reply to those words, so Joshua quietly continued.

"But… need… things you _need_… are things you… cannot possibly live without…" Finished with those words, Joshua looked right into Neku's eyes and said softly; "I… I _need_ you… I need _everything_ of you… _everything_…" Slowly, carefully, he reached up and placed his hands on each side of Neku's face. "I… I need you… need you like any living thing needs the air to breathe… water to drink… or food to eat… I… I need you to survive…" He blinked once, and a single tear rolled down as he breathed: "I… I thi-think… I think I'm… I'm in love with you… So don't… _please_… don't ever leave me again… _please_…"

Neku did not respond to the soft plea… not with words, anyway.

Rather than say anything, he placed his hand on Joshua's right hand and turned his head to place a chaste kiss on the silverette's palm. He didn't say anything else and instead moved in to place another kiss upon Joshua's forehead…

* * *

><p>"<em>Ne, Kura-niichan?"<em>

"_Hmhmm?"_

"…_Why do you always kiss me on my forehead?"_

"_Hahah… don't worry so much, Yoshi. That's just my way of saying 'I love you'."_

"_Oh… really?"_

"_Hmhmm."_

"…_Why don't you just say it?"_

"_Saa… I find that actions are more effective than words when it comes to conveying what I feel."_

"_Oh… 'kay."_

* * *

><p>The memory was swift, and unexpected, but it helped get the point across, and Joshua smiled quietly to himself. Helped him to understand that, while Neku would likely never say the same words back at him, his feelings were likely just as powerful as his own.<p>

And when Neku's fingers swiftly discarded his clothes, he didn't even complain and only moaned out his name appreciatively as the Kyuubi's hands played along every sensitive spot, inside and out. He didn't even look up when Neku lifted on leg and only made his whole body relax when he felt the Kyuubi's cock press up against his entrance.

And then he slammed in and Joshua gasped sharply as a wave of pain shot up his spine, only to be almost entirely overwritten by pleasure as the redhead moved out and slammed back in only a second after. The Composer wailed in a combination of pain and pleasure, moaning out the Kyuubi's name over and over again, having ceased to care about who could possibly hear him, and he almost screamed when Neku's hand began to pump his neglected erection in time to his own thrusts.

The seal was no longer there, he knew, and yet he found himself holding back his release, because he was not to come without permission. His hands were clawing and grasping at the edge of the table with the knuckles turning white from his tight grip, his eyes were screwed shut and he was gritting his teeth together in his attempt to hold back. It wasn't working so well…

"N-Ne… Nek-_uuu…!_ I… I can't… _oh god…!_ Please… I… I need…!"

The redhead only smirked as he watched Joshua's head lolling back and forth in his attempts to stall his own release. He knew _exactly_ what the silverette wanted to say, but that didn't mean he was going to let him have it just like that. Where was the fun in that?

"'Need'? Heh… You need… _what?_" he murmured with a chuckle as he adjusted his position and at the same time stopped moving altogether. As expected, this made Joshua whine pathetically, before he tried to get Neku to move again, only for the redhead to grab hold of his hip and pin it to the table. "Tell me, Yoshiya…"

"N… Ne… kuuuu…."

"_Tell me_," Neku purred, as he ran the pad of his finger along Joshua's cock, drawing a wanton moan from the boy. "Tell me what you need, _Yo~shi~ya_…"

Joshua tried to pout unhappily, but the expression was soon lost when Neku squeezed his balls, drawing a wail from the Composer.

"N-no… please I…"

"_Tell me!_"

The ashen-haired boy threw his head back when Neku squeezed _and_ ran his nails along the skin simultaneously, and he barely heard the table creak with how tightly he was gripping it then. His entire body was begging by that point and he wailed in a last ditch effort to get the redhead to _move_, but the Kyuubi wasn't having it…

He had no choice…

"M… Mas…ter… please… please I… I beg you… f… fuck me… _oh god…_ please… fu… fuck me h-hard a-and f-fast… I… I… please… _please…!_"

Though Neku had not expected that first word to come from Joshua's throat without some form of Imprinting, he wasn't about to question it. Nor was he about to deny the silverette after that.

"Good pet," he purred, and then he moved again, angling _just_ right to have Joshua screaming in pleasure. And he only laughed breathlessly as the boy tried to clutch helplessly at any part of the Kyuubi's body he could reach, his amethyst eyes glazed over and a small trail of saliva trickling down his chin. "Hahah… tell me, pet; who do you belong to!?"

"Y-you…! O-only you, M-Master…!"

"_Again!_"

"I… I belong t-to… o-only y-you, Mas-Master!"

"_Louder!_"

"I-I… I be-belong t-to—"

"_LOUDER!_"

Joshua wailed as the Kyuubi squeezed again, and he whimpered before he shouted out: "_I BELONG TO YOU, MASTER!_"

Neku only laughed at the shout, before he moved in and murmured in the Composer's ear. "Good boy… now… _come for me, Yoshiya._"

There was no way Joshua could (or would) refuse, and he screamed as his release hit him, _hard_. And as he felt the redhead's hot release filling up his body, a small smile played on his lips before he shut his eyes and just lay there, gasping for breath.

There was a brief touch upon his temple, and then he dozed off slowly. But just before his consciousness left him, he heard something that made his heart race;

"_I love you, too…_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Epilogue<strong>_

Time passes quickly, like time tends to do when you have all of eternity. Within a couple of blinks, ten years have come and gone, and Joshua finds himself passing the time in WildKat, sipping on a cup of herbal tea.

There weren't any customers yet; it was still too early for that (only 5 in the morning, and the shop opens at 6:30 sharp), but Joshua wasn't expecting too many people to pass by that day.

"What's got you so broody, Josh?" came a familiar voice from behind him and Joshua allowed a small smirk as he turned his head toward the voice's owner.

"Oh, nothing, dear," he said, blatantly ignoring the "Don't call me that!" quip that followed. "Just thinking about how fast time flies."

"Yeah, it does that. Move over."

Joshua obediently moved back so that Neku could clean up some of the stains from last night with a wet cloth. As he did, the Composer took a small moment to take in the redhead's appearance, as he had done ever since Neku had first come there.

He was wearing the same barista outfit as Sanae had always worn, and although he sometimes complained about the fabric being "too restraining", he never went into the shop without it. His hair hadn't changed much, just that now only the locks on the side of his head spiked back, and the rest hung down his back in a long ponytail that was white at the end like the tail of a fox. He also smelled of coffee, which was a scent that Joshua had previously only associated with Hanekoma. Yet there was also something there that was distinctly him.

"…Oh yeah, it's Sakura's birthday today, isn't it?"

"Hm? Is it already?" Joshua murmured thoughtfully as he quickly checked the calendar. "Oh you're right. Guess we'll be seeing them later today then, hm?"

"Obviously," Neku said without looking up from scrubbing at one particularly big stain.

Sakura was Shiki and Eri's adopted son (***). They had adopted him as a babe when they had gone to the Netherlands to get hitched, but as they both admitted, this act had been purely accidental. Though, of course, neither of the two would've wished for anything else now.

Just then, the door clicked open and in walked Shibuya's Conductor, who gave a small hiss as he wiped some sweat out from under his bangs.

"Heh, maybe you should wear some lighter clothes that are more suitable for the weather, Akataiyo," Neku called out as he finally got the stain to go away.

"Shove off, Sakuraba," Jin growled out, much to Joshua's amusement.

It wasn't easy for him to get a real response out of Jin (as he tended to be "all business" around the Composer), but Neku had no problems with it. This, at first, had actually caused a few "green-eyed monster" moments, as Neku liked to call them, but the redhead had soon pointed out that he had no interest in the Conductor. And at the same time he hinted at that Jin already had someone else he liked.

That last part seemed a little unlikely, but he supposed it was possible.

Jin adjusted his shoulder bag briefly and then walked over to where Joshua was sitting, and the Composer nodded as the brunette took a seat across from him. When he had, though, he seemed to consider some things, before he asked: "…Rough night again, sir?"

"Oh shush," Joshua mumbled, taking a quick sip to avoid looking at the Conductor. He wasn't sure how Jin had even figured it out, but Neku kept saying that Jin was sharp and that he had probably known long before he became Conductor. "Anyway, we have some more important matters to discuss," the silverette said shortly after with a wave of his hand. "Have you been able to gather up any potential Players, Jin-kun?"

"…Yes, sir," Jin said, as he flipped open the manila folder he had brought with him. "I was able to gather several Souls with potential… but there were quite a lot who lacked the Imagination to believe."

"Hmhmm.. so, how many were left?"

"Roughly 36%."

"Ooh… that isn't overly much, is it?"

"I wasn't able to make more of it, I'm afraid."

"… _sigh_… Well, nothing to do about it. Decided on the Game Master, yet?"

"Not yet, sir. I'm still hesitating between two Officers."

"Hmm… Your ex-Partner being one of them, I assume?"

"…is that a problem, sir?"

"Hihi. Not at all. Alright. I'll leave the main preparations to you, then. Objections?"

"None, sir."

"Good. Well then… let's check their files, then, shall we?"

* * *

><p>While it was true that WildKat opened at 6:30, the first real customers mostly arrived after 7:15 at its earliest. The majority of those people included businesspeople on their way to work and in need of a quick pick-me-up. As the day progressed, several other clients would peek in and maybe step in for a quick drink, but overall, things were never overly busy there. In all honesty, the shop's best customers were the Players of the Reaper's Game.<p>

That day, however, the door gave a merry jingle at 8:45 that was followed by a cheery voice that Joshua would recognize anywhere.

"Uncle Yoshi! Uncle Neku!"

Neku immediately spun around from where he was collecting some cups, obviously a little startled, before he broke out into a smile and set the tray he had been carrying on the table just in time to catch the bundle of energy that had run straight at him. "Hey there little rascal!" he laughed out as he picked him up easily and set the boy on his hip. "What brings you here so early, huh?"

"'s My birthdays todays!" the toddler chirped happily with a big smile on his face.

"Oh is it?" Neku asked, and he made a good impression of being surprised, which made Joshua chuckle softly. "Well, fiddlesticks. So how old are you now?"

"Six!"

"Six already, huh? Man, where does the time always escape to?"

Just then, the door jingles again and a frazzled looking young lady stumbles into the shop. "Oh for… Sakura!" Eri cried out as she breathed out and hurried over to Neku's side. "I told you not to wander off like that, didn't I?"

"But I didn't wander…" Sakura pouted. "I went to see Uncle Neku and Uncle Yoshi…"

Joshua laughed as he stood up and joined the others. "Relax, Eri, you know this little one will likely come here if you lose him around this area, don't you?"

"I know, I know…" Eri sighed out. "But really now… I already told you we'd come here later, Sakura. Now come on, you still have school today!"

"But I dun wanna!" Sakura whined. "I dun wanna go to school on my birthday!"

"Ugh! Sakura!" Eri growled. Obviously, she'd had this discussion with him before, and she was clearly losing her patience about it.

Joshua wouldn't blame her; Sakura was a nice kid, but he was so stubborn in always wanting to do things his own way, and he'd throw tantrums if he couldn't have his way. This made raising him a little difficult.

Though only a little, because… well…

"Sakura-kun," Neku said seriously, and the small boy looked up curiously. "Do you know what happens to kids who don't go to school?"

"…? No… what?"

"Well… if you don't go to school, then the policemen come find you and take you to prison. And you know what they do there to kids who don't go to school?"

"N-no…"

"You remember that really icky stuff Mum made you take when you were sick?"

"Uh-huh…"

"Well, that's _all_ you'll get to eat, and that icky drink you tried here last time? That's _all _you'll get to drink. And you _still_ have to go to school there. But you get _no_ recess, no time-outs, no lunch break… just learn learn learn work work work… and they won't let you see Mum or any of us ever again."

"I'll go to school I'll go!" the little boy immediately cried out and he struggled to get down from Neku's hold. The redhead merely smirked as he set the boy down. "I dun wanna go to prison!"

"Good," Neku said as he crouched down and ruffled the small boy's hair. "Coz we don't want you going to prison either. So just do as your Mums say and stay outta trouble, a'ight?"

"Kay!"

Eri sighed in relief at Neku's safe, and she smiled as the boy hurried to her side, grabbed her hand and started tugging and urging her to go. She cast a thankful look to Neku as she waved at them.

Joshua chuckled as the duo disappeared out the door, and turned back to the redhead. "I've said it once and I'll say it again; you really _are_ good with kids, Neku."

The redhead allowed a small, sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well… it's not _that_ hard, really…"

So he said every time, but Joshua was sure that not everyone could turn such stubborn brats into obedient children. Neku spoke to kids in a way they could understand, without the use of big words and curbing all his curses without second thought, and the kids loved him as much as the fox loved them.

"Heh… You _really_ like kids, don't you?" Joshua murmured softly.

"We covered that already, didn't we?" Neku said calmly as he went back to bringing the empty cups to behind the counter. "Besides, kinda hard not to, right?"

"Hihi. True," Joshua said with a nod as Neku began washing the dirty cups. As he did, the Composer went back to what he had been doing earlier; sitting at a booth and simply watching Neku work.

And as Neku continued working, Joshua let his thoughts wander. There had been something running through his head that he had been considering for a while already, but had never been too sure on about how to approach it. The more time passed, though, the stronger those thoughts became, and he knew it wasn't a healthy thing to do, but he couldn't help himself.

'…Tonight,' Joshua decided as Neku set the cups back in their spot. 'I'll ask him tonight… after Sakura's party.'

Even as he made that mental promise to himself, though, Joshua wasn't really expecting "no" for an answer…

* * *

><p>(*) Has anyone ever played Final Fantasy 8? If you have, think the GF Quezacotl.<p>

(**) How many of you can guess who this is?

(***) Before you start, yes, Sakura can also be a boy's name.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, I know the majority of you picked option 2, but there's also been a request to do both (which had been the plan from the start, anyway) so here's option 1. Next (and final stage) is option 2.<strong>

**Also, sorry 'bout the long wait everyone; life caught up to me, plus I've been helping out an old friend of mine with beta-reading a book he wants to publish sometime this year. So I'll likely be sidetracked until he's done with it.**

**Speaking of, he's actually looking for illustrators for his book, so if any of you feel confident enough in your drawing skills (or if you know someone who may be interested), you can drop by his DA site (alnewbrink deviantart com) for the exact details on his project.**


	19. Stage 18 The Farewell -Option 2-

_**Wishes**_

**Fandom: **The World Ends With You (TWEWY)

**Pairing: **Neku/Joshua

**Setting: **Post-game, takes place after "Purification"

**Summary: **Joshua knew he would regret making that promise with the almighty daiyoukai, but he wasn't counting on the complications that followed it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Stage 18 - The Farewell (Option 2)<strong>_

"Sh-shut up!" Joshua cried out without even thinking about it. "Just _shut up!_"

Neku said nothing in response. Joshua wasn't sure what he had been expecting from him, but the silence that answered his words was… grating on his nerves. The entire situation was, in fact.

The news that Sanae was a Fallen Angel and had actually _helped_ Minamimoto in creating not only Taboo Noise but turning himself Taboo had definitely hit him hard, but that didn't mean he was ready to just give him up. He trusted Sanae. He _still_ trusted him! And yes, he also trusted Neku… but… but this… this person sitting across him… wasn't _Neku_ anymore. There was no way it _could_ be…

Neku respected Sanae. Neku idolized CAT. Neku _knew_ that Sanae was CAT, and that made the youth respect him even more than he already did. Thinking of bringing harm to Sanae… that was something Neku would _never_ even consider…

The person sitting across him… was Kurasa…

"What the hell… were you planning to do with Sanae… if… I chose… _either_ of those options?!" he snarled out softly, clenching his fists tightly.

The Kitsune took his time to respond, but when he did, his voice was barely, if any at all, different from what he had said before. "I've stated what my intentions were and the possible results of your decisions before already, Composer. My mission is to deliver Hanekoma Sanae to the Higher-ups. Whether you choose to assist or hinder, my mission will not change."

"…that's all this is about, isn't it?" Joshua ground out, clenching his fists into the material of his jeans. "Your mission… that's _all_ that matters… isn't it?"

Again, the daiyoukai chose not to respond. There was no need to when the answer was obvious, after all.

"So… my decision… wouldn't have mattered at all… would it?"

At this, the Kyuubi no Kitsune sighed softly, sounding almost exasperated. "Do you wish me to continuously repeat myself, Composer? I've already said that your decision will affect how things will transpire…" At this point, the Kyuubi sighed once more. "It saddens me that you have made _this_ particular choice, however."

"…sad?" Joshua repeated slowly, before he raised his head to glare at Ne–Kurasa. Of course, his expression had not shifted at all. "You? Sad? Ch. You surely don't _look_ like you're sad!"

"…I suppose I do not," the Kyuubi admitted solemnly. "However, I fear I have little time to… 'show', my sadness."

'No time to sh–…oh no…!'

Soundlessly, Kurasa rose to his feet and said, expression as blank as before: "I am afraid that the time to decide your course of action is up, Composer. I have no time to stay and talk any longer than I already have."

'Oh _hell no!_'

Joshua was in motion before he even had the time or chance to think about it; he bolted up from his seat and lunged at the Kyuubi, his hands immediately going for his throat and this, with its suddenness, knocked Kurasa off his feet and onto the ground back first with a thud and a grunt.

Silence followed for a long while, with neither of the men moving even an inch, although Joshua was panting from the adrenaline that was pumping through his body. After a minute more of just lying there, the Kyuubi lifted his head to properly look at Joshua, his expression still perfectly blank.

"…you intend to kill me again?" he murmured softly, although he didn't seem surprised in the slightest (though it was hard to tell if one is surprised if their face is blank).

The silver-haired Composer struggled to regain his breath, his hands clasped firmly around the base of the daiyoukai's throat, thumbs on opposing side of the windpipe. He wasn't moving, nor was the silverette, and this sparked panic and alarm in the Composer's mind. Not only because he knew that the Kyuubi should've been able to stop him (and still could whenever he wanted), but also because Kurasa's words had briefly caused him to freeze.

Joshua had never thought twice about killing or erasing; it came with the territory of being Composer. Taking the life of another person was not something Joshua had considered to be something to concern himself over, even though most his kills had always happened in the UG, and usually only at the end of the Game with those who were unable to rake up enough points and didn't want to play again.

His only exception to that… had been a single boy called Sakuraba Neku.

Not once, but twice had he shot him, both times only so as to prove that Shibuya was, indeed, corrupted. Something that ended up being as far removed from the truth as could be, and something that had haunted him in the back of his mind for all those years despite him telling himself he was not sorry about what he had done.

…was he really prepared to kill again?

"…if you do…" came Kurasa's solemn voice again, "then do it. Prove that you will fight for someone who has betrayed your trust behind your back. Prove you have what it takes… to be a murderer."

Those words… snapped something in Joshua's mind just then.

"Sh… shut up! _Shut UP!_ You have **NO** right to say that! _You're _the real murderer here! Just how many did _you_ kill only because you were _ordered_ to?! How many innocent lives did you take?!" Joshua almost shouted out, as his thumbs shook subtly against the Kyuubi's skin. "How… how many victims did _you_ make?! How many times do _you _go out to kill on a daily basis?!"

"…"

"Goddammit _ANSWER ME!_" he roared out, even as his thumbs pushed down _hard_.

The Kyuubi released a sound like a choked gasp, as he began taking rapid gulps of air though it took much effort to let it go past the digits that were blocking his air flow. However, even as his eyes shut tight instinctively against the pain, his hands remained flat on the ground.

"Were you even telling the truth about letting Sanae live?! Or were you just planning to kill him anyway once you got him out of Shibuya's sight?! Were you?!"

If Kurasa had any kind of answer ready, the lack of air made it impossible to formulate the response. And still he refused to move his hands to stop the ashen-haired Composer.

"You bastard… I-I should… I should just kill you and be done with it!"

"…so… do… it…" the Kyuubi choked out, and Joshua froze once again. "…do… it… prove… it… _mur… de… rer…_"

With his entire frame shaking, Joshua's hands slowly relaxed, the thumbs lessening the pressure on the daiyoukai's throat, allowing him to breathe again, and then, ever so slowly, he moved his hands away.

The Kitsune moved so swiftly that Joshua didn't even it happen. The redhead's eyes snapped open, his hands shot up and grabbed Joshua's wrists and he threw his weight sideways, spinning until Joshua was on his back, his thighs held down by the fox's knees. When Joshua blinked, he was already on his back, staring up into the dark blue eyes of the Kitsune, the slitted pupils watching him soundlessly.

"…you cannot do it… can you?" said the redhead solemnly. "Even when it could mean your own death… or that of someone close to you… you cannot do it…"

"Sh-shut up!" Joshua bellowed as he struggled against the Kyuubi's hold, but he knew it was useless. Even without the seal blocking his powers, the Kyuubi was still stronger than him. "Let go of me!"

He didn't let go, of course, and after only two minutes of fruitless struggles, Joshua had worn himself out and collapsed. He felt tired, angry–furious, even–but above all… he felt betrayed.

"…I trusted you…" he wheezed out, his eyes shut tight to prevent the tears from spilling. "I… _trusted_ you…"

"…" Kurasa was silent in response, and Joshua almost wanted to scream, but he was well aware that even if he did, it would have no effect. But then… "…I trusted you as well… Joshua."

The Composer blinked and he looked up to the Kyuubi. Since the beginning of today, the daiyoukai had not once called him by name. Not once. And when he looked into the fox's eyes, he could almost swear he saw sadness inside those dark blue pools.

"Out of all the wards I've been too… all the Composers I confronted… all the missions I've cleared… during all of that… you were the only one I've ever trusted as much as I have…" the Kyuubi spoke solemnly, before he briefly shut his eyes. And when they opened again, they were a sharp, ice blue color and Joshua froze. "That is why… it saddens me you chose to take this option, Composer…"

"Y… why do you–?!" Joshua began, but he cut himself off when Neku ducked his head down, his mouth barely an inch away from his own.

"…I never killed a human before… nor have I ever killed Angels."

The Composer blinked, confused, but he wasn't allowed to wonder about it.

"Death begets only sadness, sadness begets anger, anger begets revenge, revenge begets more death, and the cycle continues endlessly," the fox said solemnly as he briefly shook his head — causing his red hair to swish back and forth before it fell down to frame his face. "If all lived by the phrase 'an eye for an eye', the world would be blind within a sparse few months."

"But… you… your job is to–"

"Merely to confront Composers with the fact their city is corrupt. If a city is still salvageable, I am to confront them again and force their hand into action. The same as what I have done to you."

"…!" Joshua froze when he heard those words, and it felt as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped into his stomach, as a flash of realization hit him. "Y… you 'devour' them…!"

"…Yes."

Joshua knew very well what the Kyuubi meant with 'devour'. If he used that particular phrasing, he did not mean he would literally eat them up, but instead he would punish them sexually, forcing the person to submit to him and to reflect on their mistakes. He knew what that meant, of course, but he had never stopped to think he had not been the _only_ one to suffer from the Kyuubi's actions.

"How… how ma… many did you…?" he choked out breathlessly.

The Kitsune did not speak immediately in response to the half-formed question. Instead, he merely tilted his head to the side, as though he was considering his own options, which made his long hair fall over his shoulder to tickle at Joshua's cheek. Finally, though, he opened his mouth and spoke. "…do you want me to be truthful… or do you want a lie to make you feel better?"

Joshua opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut almost immediately. He didn't want to know… he _really_ didn't want to know…

He shut his eyes tight and whispered: "Never mind… never mind I… I don't want to know…"

"…Very well."

It wasn't until after those words had been spoken that another thought suddenly crossed his mind that made Joshua's eyes snap open again, this time in alarm. "Wait…! You aren't… y-you wouldn't…!"

Kurasa refused to speak, but the look in his eyes said enough.

He would…

"No please! You can't just–not after we… dammit let me _go!_" the silverette howled, renewing his struggles to get loose, which made the Kyuubi back off a tad. "I swear… if you even dare t-to… to do _that!_ I-I will–!"

"You will… what?" Kurasa asked solemnly, clearly unimpressed with both the struggles and the half-finished threat. "Kill me? I believe we have already established that you cannot do that. You cannot bring yourself to do it."

"There's more than one way to skin a cat!" Joshua bellowed out, trying to pull his wrists loose, but the Kyuubi would not relinquish even an inch. "Dammit I swear…! I swear I… I'll… I swear I'll devour _you_ if you dare!"

That comment earned him a cocked eyebrow from the Kyuubi but not much else. Kurasa did not even bother to grace the threat with a verbal response, as a sharp burn began to ache on Joshua's left wrist, draining away his powers as Composer.

"D-damn you…! Un… fair…"

The redhead merely watched Joshua as his struggles gradually lessened. He waited for a moment more, before he lowered his head again so that their mouths were barely a breath apart. Joshua didn't even have the strength left to object to the close proximity.

"…I'm sorry, Josh… farewell…"

The words were quiet. A mere whisper on a nonexistent wind.

And then their lips connected, and Joshua wanted to cry.

It was just a kiss with just their lips, no tongue-play whatsoever, but it was soft, tender, and almost loving, but also desperate and pleading, commanding and submissive at the same time. It was one giant mass of contradictions even though it was only such a little thing, but it got the point across to Joshua perfectly;

It was over…

Sakuraba Neku… had ceased to exist…

* * *

><p>"Hey, Jin, whatever happened to that girl you were with?" the redhead asked as he sipped a cup of coffee.<p>

"…she's around," Jin replied without looking up as he worked quickly and efficiently on the reports in front of him, occasionally changing something in them. Given the ease and speed with which he worked, it was almost impossible to believe that the brunette had never actually worked on anything like this prior to becoming the Conductor. Not that anyone really knew of that, of course.

Ichi hummed softly, sipping the bitter liquid every now and again. He was sure that Jin was well aware he wasn't his Master, and yet the Conductor seemed to not see the need to say anything about it. He supposed it made little difference, but how could not help but think that Jin was difficult to get a good read on.

_Ichi._

The redhead blinked once, his left ear (as human as it was) giving a small twitch, the action hidden by his hair. 'Yes, Master?'

_Is he still there?_

Ichi sipped his drink and looked to the side, toward the counter. '…Yes, Master. He is still here. He is reading the paper and drinking coffee, possibly waiting for customers.'

_Good. Did you see the summons?_

'It has been left on the counter, Master. Unopened and unnoticed.'

_Unfortunate… Set up a warp and then come to me._

'…As you wish, Master.'

As Ichi finished his drink, he had to resist the urge to sigh in disappointment. While he had no reason to question his Master's orders, there were some orders he did not enjoy following. And this was one of them.

Nevertheless, he rose to his feet and picked up his cup before walking to the counter. As he did, though, he summoned up a small fragment of his Master's Imagination to create a miniscule seal upon the cup's side, hidden by the black decorations.

"Hey, Mr. H, I gotta go. Shiki said she had something to announce to us," he said to the barista.

"Heh. A'ight, Phones. I'll tell J ya stopped by when he comes back," the man said, not even paying attention to the cup as it was set down.

"Thanks, Mr. H. Ja ne."

With that said, Ichi turned and walked away, waving goodbye to Jin as he went, even though the brunette didn't even bother to look up. Once he was outside, Ichi picked up the pace and hurried along down the Miyashita Underpass and down the crowded streets…

But halfway through one of those streets, the Bunshin's body shifted and became smaller until he was no more than a red-haired fox that darted through the streets, completely unseen by everyone.

* * *

><p>"Hai! Irrashai—Kurasa! Well I'll be damned, how're you doing?" Ken laughed as the redhead entered the almost abandoned shop.<p>

"Good to see you as well, Kunkai-san," the fox said as he took a seat at the counter. "So, how is business?"

"Haha! You should know," the shop owner laughed out. "You and that boy were the ones who helped me rekindle interest amongst people for the old fashioned ramen. Have to say, though, I almost didn't recognize you back then."

"I'm well aware. In fact, that was the point of my 'disguise'."

"Heh. Of course it was… So! Almost done with your latest mission, huh?"

"Yes. I will likely be leaving Shibuya for good today."

"That so, huh? That's a little depressing. You and your friends were my best customers, after all."

"I am sure you'll manage. I mean, you were able to survive this long in modern Japan, right? Not many of your kind would ever be able to stand the human race for so long."

"Hahah! Suppose you got a point there, kiddo. So, one last bowl before saying goodbye, huh?"

"If you don't mind…"

"Course not! So, what would you like?"

"…I think… I'll have shio," the Kyuubi murmured thoughtfully.

"Huh? Shio? But I thought you said you hated that bland taste…"

"I do."

"So… why do you…?"

"…I don't know, Kunkai-san. I just… feel like having it, I suppose."

"You… suppose?"

"…Yes."

"…Hrrm… well, if you say so, kid."

As the shop owner got to work, the door opened barely a crack, allowing something to zip inside before it fell shut, and then the small creature hopped up onto one of the stools. Kurasa looked over to the small fox as it sat there, before he questioned solemnly: "Is it done?"

The fox yipped twice with a small nod in response.

"Very good," the Kitsune said as he brought down his hand and let the fox walk up his arm to his shoulders, where the vulpine creature seemed to disappear.

"Finished with the last part of your mission, huh?"

"Not yet, I'm afraid… I still have one more thing to do."

"That so, hm?" the old man asked, before he walked over and handed the redhead a steaming bowl of ramen. "Here ya go, kid!"

"Arigato," the Kyuubi said with a small nod before he brought his hands together and murmured: "Itadakimasu," and then picked up his chopsticks without another word.

Ken waited a few moments for the redhead to eat before asking: "Well? What's it like?"

Kurasa did not respond immediately and instead swallowed his mouthful of noodles. "…Bland and flavorless," he said after a moment more, but in spite of his own words, he continued eating them.

"Yet you're still eating them, why?" Ken asked, more than a little confused.

"…Saa…" the Kyuubi murmured, as he silently continued his meal.

* * *

><p>Joshua blinked slowly, unsure for a few brief moments, before he bolted up in alarm with a shout of the Kyuubi's (former) name — "Neku!" — before he came to the realization that he was alone in the room. But that wasn't what surprised him the most; it was the state of the apartment that did.<p>

Neat and tidy, not a single piece of furniture out of alignment, almost methodically, not a single sign of electronic equipment like a television, computer, laptop or anything of the like. Not even a water boiler or a coffeemaker. A quick check of the cupboards and fridge revealed them to be just as empty as the rest of the apartment. The bedroom was bare, and there wasn't much of a bed to speak of; just an old mattress and some thin blankets.

It was little more than an empty apartment, as though no one had lived in it for a long time.

"No way…" Joshua breathed out.

Panic struck then, and, without second thought, he raced out of the apartment. When he almost went flying head over heels over the railing outside the apartment, he stopped dead and looked to his left wrist. The seal that the Kyuubi had placed there was still there, though it was no longer active, therefore giving him free reign of his powers again. For which he was glad, because he needed them to stop…

To stop…

'…what… what was his name again…? …oh god _no…!_'

Joshua immediately leaped over the railing, upped his vibe back to the UG and flew off to WildKat. But as he flew, he felt like someone was gradually probing into his head, as though searching, and, bit by bit, he felt sections of his memories leaving him… and he understood what that meant well enough…

_I'm not having a conversation you'll end up forgetting again anyway!_

He was forgetting who the Kyuubi was…

* * *

><p>When he arrived at WildKat, the only one who was inside the cafe was Jin, who was crouched down and examining some shards on the ground. When the Composer entered, Jin looked up and rose to his feet again.<p>

"…where… where's Sanae?" he asked quickly.

Jin didn't respond immediately, but finally, he said: "I'm not sure, sir… When he picked up this cup to wash it, he just… disappeared."

One of the Kyuubi's tricks, no doubt. Joshua was able to keep most of his memories pieced together by blocking out whoever was trying to remove them, but it was straining on his mind. If he overexerted himself, he could lose control of the thin barrier keeping those memories locked up.

"Dammit… where did he take Sanae?!" he hissed out softly.

"…Sakuraba may have sent him to the most obvious place, sir."

Joshua blinked, twice, as the name sparked a memory he had believed to have lost, before he turned to Jin in alarm. "You… still remember?!"

"Yes, sir," Jin said solemnly. "I was able to set up a protective barrier around my memories before I lost them. Unfortunately, the person responsible _was_ able to remove my memory of his appearance…"

Joshua could not have asked for a better Conductor, but he didn't let his thoughts linger long on the matter. "How did you know it was him?"

"One of his dolls was here, sir. Why, I'm not certain, but he was the one using this," the brunette said as he held up the shards of the cup.

"I see…"

Shaking the matter off (for now), Joshua immediately started to rake his brain over where the Kitsune would have brought Sanae. If what Jin said was true, it would be at the most obvious spot, because, as is common knowledge, that place is often the last place to be searched.

Which meant…

"…Udagawa. Jin! Come with me!"

"Yes sir!"

With that said, the pair bolted from the cafe and then rushed for the Udagawa district.

* * *

><p>"<em>The power's yet unknown…<br>The power's yet unknown…_"

Blinking, the nine tailed fox reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, flipping it open and putting it to his ear after swallowing a mouthful of noodles. "Is it done?"

"…_yes, sir. He has picked up the cup and has been transported to Udagawa as per your orders._"

Kurasa gave a wordless nod as he shut his eyes, before he said: "Very well. I'll be there in 10 minutes. I expect you and Hachi to ensure the mission succeeds, Kyuu."

"_Understood, sir. We will not allow for any unforeseen occurrences to disrupt the mission._

"See that you don't…"

And with that, the redhead flipped his phone shut again.

"Heh, almost done with your work, huh?" Ken asked good-naturedly.

"Yes. I merely need to wrap up a few more loose ends," Kurasa said solemnly after tucking the phone away.

"That so, huh? Hmm… do the others know you're coming?"

"I have informed them ahead of time, yes. Niisama has already arranged a ride home for me, as well."

"That so, huh? Heh. Always the busy bee, that Ruka…"

"Indeed…" the redhead murmured as he carefully raised the bowl to his lips and finished the remainder of his broth with his eyes lightly shut. Once he had finished, he exhaled slowly and rose to his feet while pulling out a few bills. "I apologize I cannot stay longer… but I am afraid I am on a time limit," he said as he placed the bills on the counter, before he bowed politely. "It was good to see you again, Kunkai-san."

"Heheh. Same, kiddo. Don't be a stranger, ya hear?"

"If my missions allow me, I will make sure to pass by again." The Kyuubi finally turned and walked out the door without another word said.

* * *

><p>Udagawa was not a place where a lot of people passed by, even in broad daylight, and the few people that passed by rarely stayed for long. Most of the bikes parked there were either abandoned by their owners or dumped there by bicycle thieves. But despite its rather grim apparel, it housed some of CAT's most impressive pieces yet.<p>

Which was probably the reason that said artist had been warped there.

"Nurgh… damn… what just happened?" Sanae groaned out as he sat up, bringing up a hand to his head — which alerted him to the manacles that kept his hands bound by the jingle of chains. "…ah shit, you're kidding…"

"Morning, Sanae-kun!"

The barista froze, before he turned to look to the figure that was standing off to the side. "Yoru…"

"Heheh. Ohayo-nyan! How're you-nyan?" asked the Bakeneko cheekily with a bright grin as though he had just devoured a tasty mouse. He had black, smooth hair and his left eye was covered by an eye-patch, while a silver tag with the word "Pluto" hung on a silver chain around his neck. He had two cat ears poking from his hair and two cat tails swayed about behind him. "Haven't seen you for a long time-nya!"

"…why are you here, Yoru?"

"Hey-nyan! That's mean-nya! I come all this way-nya and that's all you say-nya?!" Sanae didn't even bother to respond, and this made the Bakeneko pout unhappily. "Well, _fine!_ Then I won't tell you!" He declared, crossing his arms over his chest and turning away pointedly.

"Yoru…"

"No."

Sanae watched the cat for a moment, before he sighed and looked away. '…I can guess why you're here…' he thought to himself. 'Looks like Kurasa's back… and likely out for my head… Guess I'm fucked whether I like or not…'

The barista tried not to think about just how literal that phrase truly was as he dropped his forehead to his knee to wait.

* * *

><p>"…sir, wait!" Jin called out suddenly, and the Composer stopped on impulse.<p>

"Dammit, Jin, we don't have the time to-"

"There's a barrier blocking us, sir," Jin called out as he moved closer and struck out at the air in front of him, which caused the barrier he had mentioned to ripple violently. It wasn't the same as the ones Reapers summoned to keep Players out; this one pulsed a deep red now that it had been disturbed once.

"…Dammit! Figures he wouldn't make it easy…" Joshua cursed angrily.

"…Sir, someone is standing at the base of the barrier…"

Upon hearing that, Joshua blinked before he looked down to the ground. And, like Jin had said, there stood two figures, one of them leaning back and the other merely standing there, staring ahead of himself. And it only took a moment for Joshua to recognize the second person.

With a snarl, Joshua dropped down from the sky, and Jin was quick to follow. When they touched down, the figure who had been staring ahead looked up and allowed a small, cheeky smirk.

"Oh, good day, Composer," he said in a voice that was far too familiar to Joshua. "We were not expecting to see you so soon…"

"…Hachi," Joshua snarled out.

The silver-haired double merely chuckled softly as he twirled a strand of hair around his finger, while his fox ears peeked out from his hair and his tail swayed by his feet. He was dressed in a simple dark blue kimono and he had a Kitsune mask resting upon his left temple. His eyes were now pale yellow-orange and the eye shadow surrounding his eyes was a light purple.

The figure that stood beside him was dressed in a deep green hakama and long-sleeved shirt, all in a traditionally old-fashioned Japanese style with golden embroidery. He, like Hachi, was wearing a Kitsune mask, only his actually covered his face, and his light brown ears were almost invisible behind it, and his tail only flicked back and forth every now and then.

"So… given the speed with which you've come, I assume you have arrived to take away the Fallen Angel, hm?" Hachi asked, his expression remaining a perfect cheeky mirror the one Joshua often saw on his own face.

"Get out of the way," Joshua snarled out without even bothering to respond to the Doll.

"Awww… sorry, but I'm afraid not. Master gave Kyuu-kun and I the orders to watch the Kitty-cat until he arrives," Hachi said, before he turned to Kyuu. "Isn't that right, Kyuu-kun?"

"…sir…" Jin whispered as the other Bunshin – Kyuu – raised his head, "…this could be bad…"

"…? Why do you say so?" Joshua asked quietly as Kyuu raised a hand to his mask.

"…that 'Kyuu'… if I'm not mistak—…crap…"

When Joshua looked back, he resisted the urge to curse as well. For the face that greeted them from under the Kitsune mask, was none other than Jin's own, though Kyuu's eyes were black and white – as in, the eye white was black and the iris was white – and his eyes were surrounded with dark green eye shadow.

"I fear… you may be right, Jin-kun…"

Hachi merely giggled as he reached into his sleeve and produced a simple, but familiar orange-colored phone. "Well then… As I said; I'm afraid we cannot let you by, Composer," he quipped as Kyuu punched the palm of his hand and cracked the knuckles all at once.

"…" Joshua sighed once as he prepared his own phone at the same time as Jin fell into a combat position beside him. "Ready, Jin-kun?"

"…Yes sir."

Hachi merely giggled. "Iko, Kyuu-kun."

"…Ryoukai."

* * *

><p>If Jin's normally dark frown was considered off-putting by some, then Kyuu's gaze could only be called creepy. The inverted eye colors gave him an actually intimidating glare, but Joshua pushed that aside as they were dragged into the Noise's zone. Somehow, it didn't surprise him that Kyuu was to be his opponent while Hachi would be Jin's.<p>

It seemed only natural.

* * *

><p>Jin cricked his neck a few times and briefly stretched his legs before he rose to his feet and fell into a battle position as Hachi merely watched with a cheeky smirk on his face. The Conductor had a feeling that this was not going to be a pretty fight, but they had little choice. If they wanted to get past the barrier, they would have to deal with these guys first.<p>

Jin took a deep breath in preparation as white wisps of Imagination circled around his arms, before he lunged forward.

* * *

><p>When Kyuu lunged forward, Joshua quickly twisted to the side to avoid the punch that would've surely broken his nose had it hit. Silently, he brought up his phone and pushed down on the buttons in rapid succession, summoning a vending machine over Kyuu's head.<p>

* * *

><p>Jin back flipped away quickly to avoid being smushed by the vending machine that had almost come down on his head and snarled angrily. He quickly turned his foot on the ground once, before he spun around into spin kick –<p>

* * *

><p>– which launched a wave of blood red energy straight at Joshua, who was barely able to avoid it by ducking. Frowning, Joshua pressed down on a few more buttons, but just before he finished, he twisted it and said: "Smile!" –<p>

* * *

><p>– which made the phone give off a bright flash that had Jin crying out and shut his eyes to try and get rid of the sudden stars in his vision. He probably should have been expecting that, and the fact that he hadn't had him cursing his own foolishness, but he didn't have overly long to worry about it. For while his vision had gone, this only heightened his senses, and this allowed him to sense the shift in the air around him and thus punch upward –<p>

* * *

><p>– to knock the small car away from him and straight toward Joshua, who was barely able to dodge it in time, and he cursed quietly. If he didn't know any better, he could almost swear that the Bunshin was reading his every move. Either that or he was just overly lucky…<p>

'Well, luck has to end at some point!'

Joshua lightly kicked up from the ground and quickly warped so that he floated almost 7 feet in the air and only typed in a few buttons on his phone before he threw his arm down –

* * *

><p>– making Jin jump out of the way of the beams of dark blue energy, though he was unable to dodge the entire attack, and he hissed as the blast scorched his shirt and a good piece of his skin, turning it a hideous coal black due to the heat.<p>

'Damn that fuckin' hurts!'

Jin frowned in suspicion, though, as a thought began to brew in his head. So, just to test something, he flexed his hand and then lashed out, releasing a White Noise shaped like a vicious wolf at the Bunshin –

* * *

><p>– and while Joshua was able to leap aside from the red hound easily enough, the beast immediately spun around and bit him in his shin, making the Composer yowl before he promptly kicked the wolf away. 'Dammit! What is going on?!'<p>

'_Sir, how is your leg?_' Jin's voice asked him through his head suddenly.

'My leg is _fine!_ Urgh… stupid mutt!'

'…_let me guess; it bit you in the shin, sir?_'

'…! How did you…?!'

'…_I was afraid of that…_'

'…? Afraid of what?'

'…_there is something I wish to verify. Sir, at the next attack, do not move._'

'Are you crazy?! If I do that–'

'_Please, sir. Just trust me. If my theory is correct, this might prove to be a bigger problem than I initially thought._'

Joshua wanted to reprimand his Conductor for trying to give him orders, but he exhaled sharply and glared at Kyuu, who had not moved an inch after the last attack. He did trust Jin, and if he wanted to ensure that Shibuya was fine, he realized that he had to continue to trust Jin in even this.

'…Alright. I trust you.'

* * *

><p>Jin took a deep breath before he exhaled slowly and crouched down, placing the fingertips of his left hand on the ground. He kept his focus entirely on the Doll that stood before him, immobile yet still smirking cheekily.<p>

'Right… san… nii… ichi… _ikuze!_'

With that, Jin vaulted forward toward Hachi, who, despite his cocky smirk, didn't move an inch. And then Jin threw his fist forward –

* * *

><p>– and then it stopped barely an inch away from Joshua's nose. The Composer had <em>almost<em> moved at the last second, but had managed to stop himself from doing so just as the punch was thrown. Which, had it actually continued and connected, would've likely broken his nose.

'…_did it hit, sir?_'

Jin's voice snapped him out of his stupor and he frowned softly at the slight dread he heard in his Conductor's voice. '…No. He stopped about an inch away…'

'…_fuck!_'

Joshua blinked, not just because of the curse, but also since Kyuu jumped back just then, never once lowering his guard. 'Jin?'

'_They aren't fighting us… we are._'

'What?!'

'_They're merely copying exactly what we do. All the damage they receive, we receive as well because our fights are–_'

"–_perfect mirror images of each other,_" Kyuu finished at the exact same time as Jin. When Joshua gawked at Kyuu in surprise, the Bunshin merely snorted. "…now that you know… what will you do? You cannot harm us…"

* * *

><p>"Not without harming each other, anyway," Hachi giggled out.<p>

Jin frowned darkly at the Doll's words. He was well aware that, no matter what they did, the two Dolls would copy everything they did. This meant that actually hurting them without hurting each other was almost impossible…

'…almost… but not quite…' Jin fought against the smirk threatening to break across his face as an idea hit him. 'Sir, there is a way to beat them…'

* * *

><p>Joshua listened to Jin's idea, and when the man had finished, the Composer was equally struggling against a smirk. 'Very nice, Jin-kun. Very nice indeed… so, shall we?'<p>

'_As you command._'

Without another word said, Joshua brought up his phone and typed rapidly to summon a vending machine –

* * *

><p>– which Jin easily avoided by spiraling out of the way before he rushed at Hachi again. As expected when he was in range, Hachi spun away – right as planned.<p>

"Gotcha!" Jin cried as he reached out and snagged onto Hachi's tail as it zipped by him because of Hachi's spin. The Doll's eyes widened in alarm just before he released a frightened/pained yowl as Jin yanked and spun the Bunshin around before releasing him to smash into the nearby wall with a cry.

* * *

><p>"Hachi-san?!" Kyuu choked out in alarm, but before he could do anything else, he screamed as another flash of light blinded him and made him reach for his eyes. And then there was the sound of energy exploding behind him and he howled as pain flared up in his own tail and made him leap away from the Composer while trying to douse the flames licking along the fur of his tail.<p>

"Hihi. Perfect copies? I beg to differ," Joshua said casually. "I'll admit you're close, but not quite there."

Kyuu said nothing in response as he snapped his tail at the air once to rid it of the last few embers. However, he was definitely not pleased, as was obvious by the expression on his face.

* * *

><p>Hachi hissed in pain as he climbed up again, rubbing the area around his tail with a wince as he looked to Jin with a dark frown. "…he's picked well, I see…" he said simply, as he flipped the phone shut. As he did, tough, a cold smirk crossed his face. "…however… I'm afraid your little deduction came too late."<p>

"…! What?!"

* * *

><p>Joshua choked in alarm. "Wh-what are you…?!"<p>

"…Kurasa-dono has already finished…" Kyuu said solemnly. "Our mission… has been completed."

* * *

><p>And just as suddenly they were back in the UG, and both Hachi and Kyuu darted back, then turned tail and ran, smashing headlong in the barrier that dissolved the moment they touched it. And then their forms shifted into a pair of foxes – one silver and one brown – that ducked into the fur of a pair of long fox tails.<p>

Joshua gasped softly, before his anger got the better of him and he snarled. "Kyuubi!"

The daiyoukai silently looked over from where he stood over the crumpled form of a motionless man. His face was covered by a Kitsune mask, his limbs were thicker and tipped by dangerous claws, which made him stand taller than Joshua could remember, two elongated fox-ears poked out from his hair and nine powerful tails swayed lazily behind him.

"…so you've come…" the daiyoukai said solemnly, his voice void of any emotion, still.

"Y-you—…!" Joshua started, and he likely would've rushed him if Jin had not held him back.

"Sir! Please calm down," the brunette hissed out under his breath. "If you lose your temper, you'll lose the fight before it begins."

Joshua snarled, but he stayed where he was and made no more move to rush for the youkai again. That didn't mean the urge had gone, though.

"What… what did you do?!"

"…That is not your concern," Kurasa said solemnly. "Yoru."

"_Nya-nya!_" quipped the brunette bakeneko as he popped out from behind the fox.

"Take the Fallen Angel away. The Council expects him."

"Aye-aye-nyan!"

"Don't you–"

But Joshua's shout came too late; the other youkai had already jumped toward the downed man and didn't even look up as he and his charge disappeared in a burst of light.

"_No!_" Joshua cried out, and once again, Jin had to stop him from blindly rushing in. "Kurasa, you bastard!"

"…call me what you wish…" said the fox without ever flinching.

"…why are you still here, Sakuraba?" Jin asked after a moment.

Kurasa didn't bother with a response right away, but finally, he reached up and wordlessly removed his mask, revealing a solemn expression not unlike the one Joshua had seen on his face that morning.

"I am still here… to finish the last part of my mission…" the fox said solemnly, as all of his tails swayed behind him.

And in the next moment, as a burst of light blinded them both briefly, the daiyoukai's form had shifted into what could only be called a Noise form; tribal markings covered his bare skin, as his kimono and hakama had gone to be replaced by blood red fur lined by the same black markings.

"Show me, Composer! Show me if your heart has healed from the injuries you inflicted!"

* * *

><p>There was no time to question the Kyuubi as both Composer and Conductor were drawn into the Noise's zone, but this time, something was different; both of them were in the same zone, facing off against the powerful daiyoukai. Though this startled them both, they quickly shook that away and focused instead on the Kyuubi.<p>

"Show me what you've got…" the beast growled out, before it dropped down onto all fours and snapped its tails forward like whips.

Jin immediately back flipped out of range while Joshua spun on his heel, barely avoiding being hit. After exchanging both a glance and a nod, Jin punched the palm of one hand and then dashed toward the Kyuubi while Joshua armed his phone and pressed down on the buttons rapidly. And as he pressed the final button, a vending machine materialized above the fox, who was unable to dodge in time since he'd been trying to swipe at Jin.

Sadly, the fox didn't flinch from the hit, which made Joshua wonder if the hit was even doing damage. Jin, on the other hand, did not even bother with it and aimed a spin kick to the daiyoukai's face. While the actual kick was dodged, the burst of Imagination that followed after was faster and struck the fox to the jaw, forcing him backwards – right into a flying car that threw him against the wall.

The fox hissed angrily as he shook the stars from his vision and Joshua bit his lip in worry. This form of the Kyuubi was completely new to him, and despite how Jin and he appeared to be doing considerable damage, he couldn't help but feel like this was too easy. He still recalled the fight with the Kyuubi from 25 years ago, and how Sanae and he had struggled with holding the daiyoukai at bay.

This fight couldn't possibly be this easy…

'What the hell are you planning, Kyuubi?'

No answer to Joshua's question came, and just then the fox spun around and lashed out with his tails at Jin. The Conductor immediately leaped away – only to yowl as something sliced open his arm even though he had clearly been out of range of the tails.

"Jin!" Joshua shouted out as Jin landed a few feet in front of him.

"Ch…! It's his Dolls!" Jin snarled out. "They're attacking from his tails!"

The Dolls… of course.

Somehow Joshua wasn't as confused as he possibly should've been. Maybe because somewhere in the back of his mind, he had always known.

"Well… guess we have little choice… Jin-kun, would you mind?"

"Not at all, sir."

"Good. Then… _fetch_."

Jin crouched down low with his hands digging into the ground, and then he growled low in his throat with his teeth bared, that gradually got a more prominent "bite" to them, as a dark purple liquid slowly dribbled down his chin from the corners of his mouth. And as he twitched his fingers briefly, familiar tribal marks now covered his arms like a pair of claws that perfectly overlapped with his limbs, while at the same time, a tribal-like snake formed from his tailbone and it hissed angrily at the Kyuubi as Jin rolled up his sleeves, revealing the black markings shaped into wolf heads upon his shoulders. And then, Jin opened his mouth and released a furious, canine howl, which unleashed a powerful burst of Imagination, just before he lunged for the Kyuubi.

The daiyoukai growled and dodged to the side to avoid the swipe from Jin's large claws, only for its shoulder to be caught in the jaws of the wolf's head on the right, drawing a yowl from the fox. The lupine was able to lash out at the head to force it to let him go, so instead it lashed out with its tails. This forced the Conductor to let go and allowed the daiyoukai to dart backwards while continuously lashing out with its tails again.

Joshua only smirked as he saw the motions of the fox become slightly slower, before he regarded Jin's powerful Noise form.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise, and really it hadn't (to Josh, at least), that Jin's form had taken on the shape of the very beast he had once drawn to "protect" the Rubicon; Cerberus, the dog who guards the gates to the underworld.

After taking a deep breath, Joshua shut his eyes and focused all of his power to center upon him, and found that nothing was blocking it at all, and nothing was stopping it from responding to his call. First his wings formed, then they shifted so that they ran parallel with his arms, and then they curled around his arms entirely as he spread his arms wide once more as his own Noise form materialized.

As it did, however, he suddenly realized something; this would be the first time he ever used his own complete Noise form, ever.

He breathed in once, held it, and then exhaled, before he kicked off from the ground and spiraled upward into the air as Imagination coiled around him entirely. The surge of energy that surrounded him was like a veil and engulfed until a massive bird-like creature with its eyeless and mouthless head shaped like the head of a serpent hovered in place (*) As his form solidified entirely, his beat his wings once more and then released a screech that reverberated through the air and unleashed a blast of pure light at the Kyuubi just as Jin leaped away.

There was no way the daiyoukai could jump out of the way, and he howled in pain as the blast scorched a good part of his fur.

Joshua growled softly under his breath as the fox righted himself again. 'I won't let you… I won't let you get away with this!'

* * *

><p>"Goodness me… I certainly was not expecting <em>this<em>," Ruka murmured softly as he watched the fight continue on from within the LG.

He was sitting upon a nearby bench in said sub-realm, nursing a cup of herbal tea as he watched the three Noise forms dart back and forth in something akin to a dance, while Shibuya's Music played the tune to guide them. Unlike his little brother, Ruka could not hear the Song of the Composer and had to strain his senses to even remotely feel any sort of melody from a city, but Shibuya's Music seemed to call even to someone as unmusical as himself. It was truly inspiring.

Ruka took another sip of his tea as his smaller brother once more jumped forward into the fray. For the other Kyuubi, it was easy to see that the redhead was adapting his power to what was thrown at him. The more power was thrown at him, the more power he would throw back. It was an easy trick of reflection that Ruka had taught him shortly after the kit had come under his care, and it was not something so easy to figure out, especially in the midst of battle. While he was sure that Shibuya's new Conductor would be able to understand, again, it would take time.

"…Ruka-niisama… sh… shouldn't we… do something?"

"…What's your hurry, Kamui?" Ruka asked without ever looking over to the other youkai, who sat on his knees beside the bench, his head down but his eyes watching the same fight from under his bangs.

"…but… K-Kurasa is…"

"Doing just fine," Ruka said firmly as he shut his eyes and took a long sip. "Face it, Kamui; little Kurasa has finally grown up."

"…"

The other Kyuubi said absolutely nothing in response.

* * *

><p>The power that the Kyuubi was giving off was almost surreal. Joshua had already known the Kyuubi to be strong, but this was just crazy. The Ninetailed Fox was bearing the brunt of all the attacks while at the same time countering with equal or more power than was thrown at him. This definitely complicated matters quite a bit, and Joshua wasn't certain if they'd win like this.<p>

'…_! Sir! Don't move!_'

'What?!'

'_Don't move! Please, just trust me, sir!_'

'…alright.'

All three beasts leaped away at the same time… and then all seemed to stop.

Jin merely stood, with only his tail hissing angrily as all three heads glared.

Joshua hovered in place, barely needing to beat his wings to keep afloat.

And the Kyuubi remained with his tails primed and swaying ever so slightly, but nothing else.

'…why isn't he…?'

'…_mirrors… that's what this was all about…_'

Joshua didn't have time to question it, however, since Kurasa wordlessly pushed himself up to his feet again. "…Congratulations, Composer; you pass."

"What…? I… what…?"

But Kurasa said nothing more as he waved his arm once, as a burst of energy slammed into both Joshua and Jin, dispelling their Noise form and throwing them backwards into a wall. Joshua hissed as pain blossomed from where his head hit the wall, and he wasn't at all surprised when he found that his body wouldn't respond to him anymore. And one look to the side showed that Jin was having similar troubles.

After snarling, he turned to the daiyoukai and demanded: "What do you mean I 'passed'?!"

"…Have you forgotten already?" Kurasa asked solemnly, as he briefly moved his hair out of his eyes. "My mission is to ascertain the safety of Shibuya. For that safety, a proper Conductor is required, one that the Composer can trust explicitly. And you have found one in Akataiyo Jin."

Joshua snarled angrily, and even Jin was close to snarling, though his sounded more like a growl.

"Kurasa."

The Kyuubi's ears perked up at the call, and after blinking once, he turned his head.

"…Niisama. Kamui," Kurasa said solemnly as he turned fully to face the two Kyuubi. "You're early… I was not expecting you so soon."

"Well, tis better to be early than late," Ruka said solemnly. "So… are you ready to go home?"

"…" Kurasa didn't reply right away, and instead looked back to the Composer and Conductor. "…could you give me five minutes?"

"Kurasa, we don't have the time for—"

"…Five minutes," Ruka interrupted the other Kyuubi. "No more."

"…arigato, Niisama." Kurasa didn't even look up when he said that, and instead only walked over to the Composer silently.

Joshua glared as the fox stopped in front of him. As much as he wanted to say something, _anything at all_, nothing he said would make a difference. Nothing would change…

"…you really hate me… don't you?" Kurasa asked softly, as though the question had not been meant to be heard.

The Composer didn't even grace that with a response; it just seemed so unnecessary. And, judging from his expression, Kurasa didn't need it anyway.

"…that's fine…" he said softly, as he brought up both his hands and placed his fingertips upon the side of his head, nails lightly scraping over his scalp–

–_making him whine as those long, slim fingers gently massaged his scalp, and he leaned back against the other almost wantonly._

Joshua almost–_almost_–gasped in alarm when the memory suddenly sprang to the surface unbidden. He couldn't explain from where the memory had suddenly come, or from when it had been, but his body instinctively tensed, expectant, though for what, Joshua didn't know (not anymore, anyway…).

"…You'll forget it soon enough anyway," the Kyuubi suddenly said, just before he leaned in until their mouths were barely a breath apart. "So hate me all you want… while you still can."

And then their mouths connected firmly–

–_and Joshua moaned from the back of his throat as he was forced back against the wall, the redhead's mouth moving against his own before his tongue slid out and demanded entrance._

Joshua was unable to stop his gasp this time, but the moment he did, the Kitsune's tongue slipped past his defenses and into his mouth–

–_across his teeth, his gums, his tongue, and even his palate. It was hot and wet… and Joshua wouldn't want it any other way._

The memories just kept coming… they just wouldn't stop, even when the Kyuubi had pulled away slowly, with his fingers absently trailing down to his throat–

–_where they slipped off the loose material of Joshua's button-up shirt. Joshua whimpered as they slipped downward, and then he opened his mouth…_

"…Neku?"

The word/name was out before he could stop it, but the result was instantaneous.

Kurasa very nearly jumped back, startled, as the expression on his face said (the first _real_ expression Joshua had seen that day). "H… how did you…?"

"…Kurasa," Ruka called out, which made the Kitsune look over in surprise. "Time is running out. I suggest you hurry.

"Y… yeah, alright…" the redhead said–

–_and his voice made Joshua shiver and gasp for breath, as the words seemed to caress his skin. He didn't even have to say much; just hearing his voice seemed to be enough for Joshua._

"Guess I have to be quick, then…" the fox whispered suddenly as he ran both hands through his hair and let the strands fall onto his back. The redhead didn't give Joshua the time to respond as he reached into his left sleeve and pulled out a kris; a dagger forged into a zigzag pattern. "I suppose there's nothing to do about it…" he said then as he took hold of the long strands of hair and then brought up the dagger as he pulled them taut.

"W-wait, Neku what re you–?!"

But the words came too late as the kris cut through the strands, separating them from the remainder of his hair. Joshua could only stare as the fox's long mass of hair had been reduced to spiked strands that barely reached his shoulders. Briefly, the Kyuubi ran his hand through the strands, and as he did, the strands on the side of his head spiked up into the style he had used for almost 20 years, while the rest remained smooth and hung down in his neck.

"You… why did you…?" Joshua whispered, only to gasp as the locks of hair ignited in the Kyuubi's palm.

The blood red flames danced on the daiyoukai's palm, their image reflected upon the Kitsune's ice blue eyes, before they turned pure white in color and began to diminish. Kurasa watched in silence without ever blinking, before he curled his fingers around the flames, snuffing them out. He held his hand like that for a moment more before he uncurled it again… revealing a silver pendant shaped like the emblem that Joshua recalled seeing on the Kyuubi's back, a silver chain linked through the small loop.

"You can consider this as prize for your victory, Composer…" Kurasa said solemnly as he tucked away his blade again before he stepped closer and silently secured the chain around Joshua's neck, letting the pendant fall lightly upon his collarbone.

"W… wait… Neku _please!_" Joshua cried out as the Kyuubi made to move back.

"…"

Whether it was because of the call or something else, Joshua couldn't care, but the redhead stopped moving away and that was all that mattered.

"…don't go…" Joshua whispered softly. "…please… don't go… don't leave me again…"

Something in the fox's gaze changed then, if only for a moment, and for that brief moment, it was not Kurasa who stood there, but an unsure, scared young man called Sakuraba Neku…

"…" He didn't speak, but his mouth did move a few times, as though he wanted to say something. Nothing would come out, though, no matter how many times he tried. So, instead, he slowly brought up a hand and reached for Joshua's cheek…

"Time's up, Kurasa," Ruka called out.

Kurasa's hand stopped barely an inch away from Joshua's skin when the other Kyuubi said that, and he stepped back while retracting his arm as well. The forlorn expression on his face didn't go away, but he said nothing more as he turned around and wordlessly walked away.

Joshua clenched his teeth together tightly before he called out: "Neku! Don't go! _Please!_"

Kurasa didn't respond to the shout, but the hitch in his step revealed that the words did have some kind of impact on him. Rather than reply, though, the Kyuubi just kept walking until he stood by his brothers' side.

"Neku!"

"…" And still Kurasa refused to answer, even as Ruka turned on his heel and began to walk away without a word, Kamui right behind him. The redhead waited for a brief moment more, however, as though he was considering his options, before he spoke without turning around, his voice a mere whisper on a non-existent wind…

"I'm sorry, Yoshiya… but your wishes… cannot come true…"

But he didn't give Joshua the time to reply as the youkai sprinted off after his older brothers, disappearing in the darkness of the alleyways.

"…no…" Joshua choked out, clenching his fists tightly. "…Dammit! Why?! Dammit you bastard! Get back here and answer me! Why?! Goddammit _why?!_"

No answer came, of course, but really it didn't matter anymore…

Nothing did…

"…sir…"

Jin's voice startled him a little and he looked over to the brunette, who seemed to be struggling to keep his eyes open. "Jin…? What is…?"

"…he's… he's back… the one who… was removing our… memories… I… can't… I… I apologize I…"

Jin was unable to finish his words as the energy he had left was completely drained away, after which his binding fell away and he crumpled to the pavement.

"Jin!" But before Joshua could start to say more, he felt it as well; his energy was being drained, and as he lost his focus, gradually, his memories slipped through his fingers. "_No!_" he cried out and focused all his remaining energy on safeguarding the memories that remained. "_Stupid cat! I won't let you! I… won't let you take them away from me!_"

* * *

><p>"<em>Don't call me 'dear'!"<em>

"…_for every life you save… you kill another…"_

"_I'll probably leave Shibuya behind…"_

"…_Sakuraba Neku… will cease to exist."_

* * *

><p>"I won't let you! <em><strong>I WON'T!<strong>_" Joshua shouted, and then, in a last ditch effort, he pushed all his memories into the nearest empty space he could reach and shut the door tight, to keep whoever was attempting to erase them out…

And then he passed out…

* * *

><p>"…ir… Sir, wake up!"<p>

Joshua groaned briefly, before he blinked his eyes open. "…hm? What just…?"

"Are you alright, sir?" Jin's voice called out, and, as Joshua rolled onto his back, he saw that Jin was crouched over him.

"…Hmm… yes, I'm fine," Joshua said, as he briefly yawned, before sitting up and looking around. "…Do help remind me, Jin; why were we here again?"

"…I'm not certain, sir…" Jin admitted, as Joshua climbed back up to his feet again.

Joshua ran a hand through his hair as he thought for a moment. It was odd, but it was like parts of his memory had become fuzzy around the edges, as though someone had tried Imprinting them on him, which was impossible, given that he was the Composer, after all. So… why were they here in Udagawa…?

"…oh, right…" Joshua murmured as his expression became solemn.

The Higher-ups had come for Sanae, and Joshua had come to Udagawa sometime after, to calm himself down. Jin had come after him afterwards, but… he wasn't sure what had happened after to make him pass out.

"…Sir, if I may ask… where did you get that pendant?"

When Jin asked that, Joshua blinked and looked down to his chest, where he immediately spotted the silver pendant of a nine-tailed fox looking ready to pounce. "Hm? What is…?" he murmured, taking it in hand and looking it over a few times. "…Hmm… no idea. May as well remove it then… …hm?" Joshua frowned. "Jin-kun, would you mind helping me look for this thing's clasp?"

"…Yes sir." Jin solemnly moved over and examined the chain for a moment. "…there isn't one…"

"I was afraid of that," Joshua grumbled with a sigh. "Oh well. Hard way it is."

And Joshua focused a small part of his energy on his finger with every intent of cutting the chain—

—_but he couldn't break the chains and he wailed as burning hot fingers trailed along his bare sides._

"…!" Joshua immediately withdrew his hand in alarm at the sudden image that flashed over his eyes, startled. 'What… what was that…!?'

"…Sir?"

"..nothing… never mind. Let's just… let's just go…"

Jin (thankfully) didn't question it and instead only followed after the Composer as he walked away. As they went, however, Joshua's hand was itching to reach up for the pendant again, and he couldn't understand why.

'What… was that…? Who… who was doing… _that_…?'

But no matter how long he searched, all he remembered was the color red…

* * *

><p>"…you're touching it again, sir."<p>

Joshua jumped when Jin's voice called out so suddenly and immediately lowered his hand from where it was touching the pendant around his neck. "Ah, sorry, Jin-kun. What were we discussing again?"

Jin didn't respond right away, and he seemed to want to say something about the matter, but he eventually chose not to. "About the replacement Producer the Higher-ups will be sending us today, sir," he said instead.

"Ah, right…" Joshua murmured softly.

They had received a notice from the Higher-ups about Sanae, almost a week after the events in Udagawa, and while they clearly stated that he would not be erased for his actions, he was dismissed from his position as Shibuya's Producer, as well as banished from the city itself, for an indefinite amount of time. Hence, they had declared that they would send a replacement within two days.

Which was today.

While Joshua knew it was useless to think about it, he couldn't help but worry slightly. Sanae had been like a guardian to him and, regardless of his reasons why, the man had become very important to the Composer. It just didn't feel right to have someone else take the role of the person who had helped shape Shibuya into what it was today.

Regardless of that, the pair was waiting in the WildKat cafe, with Jin absently working on tidying the place up, given that Sanae had been away for so long, and Joshua was sitting in one of the booths, his back to the door. There had not been any customers as of late, though that was mostly due to the weather; it had been raining for several days on end already, and while there had been a few pauses in between, it tended to start raining again within the hour.

"…you're doing it again, sir."

"Gah! Dammit!" Joshua hissed as he let go of the pendant again. "Why do I keep doing that?"

"…perhaps you should worry about it later, sir," Jin said solemnly. "It seems he's here already."

"Hm? What do you–"

But before he could finish his question, the door gave a click to signal it was unlocked, and then it swung open inward with a merry jingle from the bell installed above it.

Joshua sighed and turned around to watch the new arrival close up his umbrella and set it against the wall by the door before shutting the door again.

He was a young-looking man a little shorter than Jin, and his deep black hair was secured in a ponytail on top of his head, with two locks hanging beside his face and his bangs shaped like a point in the center of his forehead. When he looked up, it was with eyes that were, while slightly larger than that of the average male, a deep brown that was almost black, and the expression on his face was a kind, gentle one.

With another small sigh, Joshua rose up from his seat and turned to face the young man. "So…" he began after a moment. "I take it you've been sent here by the Higher-ups, hm?"

The man lightly moved one of the long strands aside, before he gave a small smile. "That is correct. My name is Ikuro," he said, before he bowed politely. "Please take care of me."

Joshua nodded slowly in response. While the phrase seemed a bit out of place, at the same time it seemed to be perfect for this newcomer. "Alright. Well, as you may already know, I'm Kiryuu Yoshiya. But Mother and Father call me 'Joshua', so feel free to do so as well."

"…Akataiyo Jin," the Conductor said solemnly, one hand in his pocket.

Ikuro continued to smile and nodded politely. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The silverette merely nodded. He couldn't say that Ikuro was a "bad" choice of the Higher-ups… but he wasn't Sanae.

And…

Slowly, the Composer reached up, and briefly ran his finger along the silver pendant hanging around his neck…

…_and as he shut his eyes briefly, hungry lips claimed his own in a soft, but possessive kiss._

Joshua let his hand fall back to his side as he opened his eyes again, and turned to see that Jin had already taken Ikuro aside to discuss a few things, for which the silverette was glad. As kind and helpful as Ikuro would turn out to be… he just couldn't accept it…

Yet he had no choice… since not all wishes can come true, after all…

"_I'm sorry, Yoshiya… but your wishes… cannot come true…"_

Joshua froze and shook his head quickly. 'That voice… who…?'

"Sir?"

When Jin called out, the Composer tensed briefly and turned back to the pair. "Ah, sorry, Jin-kun. Guess I was a little lost in thought there."

Jin chose not to address the matter, and even Ikuro did not seem to mind overly much.

Joshua had to resist the urge to sigh. He wasn't sure what he was missing… but it wasn't just Sanae… and whatever it was… it _hurt_… it _really hurt_…

As the others turned to each other again, Joshua reached up again, and clutched his pendant tightly…

"…_Ne…ku… Ne…ku…"_

That whisper… it gnaws on his heart and is screaming at him that it's important, but he can't understand how or why, and yet he's too afraid to push it to the back of his mind to be forgotten, because he feels like the things that constantly flash through his head are things that should never be forgotten… Things that he's supposed to cherish and hold dear…

And so he does…

Why, he doesn't know… but he knows he has to…

_Has to…_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Epilogue<strong>_

Time passes quickly, like time tends to do when you have all of eternity. Within a couple of blinks, ten years have come and gone, and Joshua finds himself passing the time in WildKat, sipping on a cup of coffee.

There weren't any customers yet; it was still too early for that (only 5 in the morning, and the shop opens at 6:30 sharp), but Joshua wasn't expecting too many people to pass by that day.

"It may be a wise idea to not spend so much time thinking so early in the morning," called a casual voice, and Joshua sighed as he looked over.

"I know, Ikuro, I know… It just happens."

Ikuro merely nodded in understanding and said no more as he continued to sweep the dust toward the door. As he did, Joshua took a moment to regard the young man.

He certainly looked very professional in the barista outfit he was dressed in, and while he hadn't changed his hairstyle, it seemed to fit just fine. He often smelled of coffee as well, and it was yet another aspect of the whole thing that reminded him of Sanae.

Joshua resisted the urge to sigh as he sipped his drink. He knew it was pointless to think about it, but he really missed Sanae. It was in the small things that Ikuro did that kept reminding him of the other; they both read the newspaper as it was splayed over the counter when there was no one around, left hand on the edge of the next page and the right holding up a cup of coffee, or how they handled the broom or dishrag, small things like that.

He knew he should forget about it… but it was just so hard…

Just then, the door clicked open and in walked Shibuya's Conductor, who gave a small hiss as he wiped some sweat out from under his bangs.

"Good morning, Jin," Ikuro greeted with a nod, and Jin merely nodded in return.

Jin adjusted his shoulder bag briefly and then walked over to where Joshua was sitting, and the Composer nodded as the brunette took a seat across from him. When he had, though, he seemed to consider some things, before he asked: "…Rough night again, sir?"

Joshua glared up to his Conductor from under his bangs. "Yes, and I can do without you stating so every day, thank you."

"…" Jin was wise enough to not say anything in response to that. …for a while, anyway. "…about _him_ again, sir?"

Joshua winced. He should've known Jin would know immediately. "…Yes. However, that's not important now," he said after moment, waving it off. "Have you been able to gather up any potential Players, Jin-kun?"

"…Yes, sir," Jin said, as he flipped open the manila folder he had brought with him. "I was able to gather several Souls with potential… but there were quite a lot who lacked the Imagination to believe."

"Hmhmm.. so, how many were left?"

"Roughly 36%."

"Ooh… that isn't overly much, is it?"

"I wasn't able to make more of it, I'm afraid."

"… _sigh_… Well, nothing to do about it. Decided on the Game Master, yet?"

"Not yet, sir. I'm still hesitating between two Officers."

"Hmm… Your ex-Partner being one of them, I assume?"

"…is that a problem, sir?"

"Hihi. Not at all. Alright. I'll leave the main preparations to you, then. Objections?"

"None, sir."

"Good. Well then… let's check their files, then, shall we?"

* * *

><p>Joshua sighed heavily as he leaned back against a light post just outside Shibu-Q. The day was just crawling by, and nothing interesting had happened at all that could somehow ward off the wave of boredom the Composer was now feeling. After arranging everything for the next Game with Jin, the Composer had left WildKat to explore, with no real goal in mind.<p>

And yet somehow, his feet had brought him here…

He wasn't even certain _why_. They just had…

Ever since Sanae had been taken away, he had avoided the area around Udagawa, as he had attempted to not think about the Angel any longer. Sadly, this method had had an adverse effect and he only seemed to be thinking about him more and more. As he stood there, he couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever see Sanae again, but that chance was likely very small…

With a sigh, Joshua shut his eyes and leaned his head back, and listened quietly to Shibuya as the people around him continued with their daily lives, unaware of their great overseer standing right in their middle…

"_Ate mo naku samayotte ita (I was wandering without a destination)  
>Tegakari mo naku sagashi tsuzuketa (I continued to search without any clues)<br>Anata ga kureta omoide o (Making the memories you gave to me)  
>Kokoro o iyasu uta ni shite (into a song to heal my heart)<em>"

At those words, Joshua blinked in surprise, and then frowned as he looked around. That voice had sounded rather close, but not close enough that it was right beside him. His curiosity piqued, Joshua pushed off from the light post and began to search for the source of the voice as it continued to sing.

"_Yakusoku mo suru koto mo naku (The days when, without making any promises,)  
>Kawasu kotoba mo kimetari mo sezu (without exchanging words or consciously deciding,)<br>Dakishime soshite tashikameta (you embraced me and sought me out;)  
>Hibi wa nido to kaeranu (those days will never return)<em>"

Joshua slowly walked down the damp backstreets of Udagawa, and while, at any other time, he would have never come here after Sanae had left, the meaning of the song… it just struck something in the Composer.

And then he turned the last corner to the mural and he stopped in surprise.

Standing only a few feet away from the mural, was a teen, possibly somewhere around 15, 16 at the most, with fiery red hair that seemed to stand on end in certain parts. He was dressed in only black as far as Joshua could see and he carried a simple duffel bag along his left shoulder. And he was definitely the source of the singing…

"_Kioku no naka no te o furu anata wa (The you who touches my hand within my memories),_" he sang, in a way that seemed almost distant while he continued to gaze up to the mural, "_Watashi no na o yobu koto ga dekiru no (can still call out my name)…_" (**)

Just as he was about to move on to the next part, though, he tensed briefly and fell silent. After a few more moments, though, he turned around, blinking curiously with his head tilted sideways. A pair of dark blue eyes that were framed by black eye shadow regarded the Composer quietly.

In turn, Joshua watched the teen just as silently, his hands placed casually in his back pockets. Like that, they stood for a few moments more, before Joshua spoke with a small chuckle.

"No need to stop," he quipped, a bit cheekily. "It was just getting good."

The redhead tilted his head the other way and then turned around to properly face the silverette. "I hadn't actually been planning to sing…" he admitted as he reached up and lightly fiddled with his spiky bangs. "But… this place… I'm not certain why, but it just called to me." He allowed a small smile as he finished those words. "It's almost as though this place is telling me 'Enjoy the moment'."

That was a shocker; not many people these days recalled Sanae's old catchphrase since "CAT" had disappeared from Shibuya. It was becoming rarer and rarer and to find people who were susceptible to what remained of the great artist's words in the city.

This kid was certainly something else… especially when Joshua remembered that he had never tuned himself down to the RG.

"Hihi. You're interesting, kid," Joshua said honestly as he tucked aside a few strands of hair. "My name is Kiryuu Yoshiya. But you're free to call me Joshua."

The boy allowed a chuckle of his own and said with a half-wave. "Pleased to meet you. My name is Sakuraba Shintora. But my family and friends call me 'Shin'."

* * *

><p>(*) Has anyone ever played Final Fantasy 8? If you have, think the GF Quezacotl.<p>

(**) Kudos if you know what song this is.

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><p><strong>-DOLL UPDATE-<strong>

**Name:** Kyuu "?"

**Number:** Nine

**Actual eye-color:** Inverted (white irises and black "eyewhite") with dark green eye-shadow

**Source:** Akataiyo Jin

**Info:** Vicious and nimble, Kyuu is born solely for battle and that appears to be just fine for him. He has a lot of respect for his "maker" and the older Dolls, but other than that, there's very little known about him.

* * *

><p><strong>So the majority of you asked for this option, but if you're curious, you can still read the other option and see what changed and what remained the same despite the change in Joshua's decision.<strong>

**Also, sorry 'bout the long wait everyone; life caught up to me, plus I've been helping out an old friend of mine with beta-reading a book he wants to publish sometime this year. So I'll likely be sidetracked until he's done with it.**

**Speaking of, he's actually looking for illustrators for his book, so if any of you feel confident enough in your drawing skills (or if you know someone who may be interested), you can drop by his DA site (alnewbrink deviantart com) for the exact details on his project.**


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